Vice PM visits South Kazakhstan

    Vice Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov has paid a working visit to the South Kazakhstan Oblast; Kazinform reports.
    Akhmetov visited the Ontustik Special Economic Zone, the Yuteks JSC and the pumping facility for the Shymkent heating supply system. Three modernized cotton processing plants will be launched at the Ontustik Special Economic Zone this year.
    This will create more than 1,500 jobs.
    “Despite the crisis, we should pay tribute to our investors for the work that is on schedule. The projects are financed jointly by the Kazakhstan Development Bank and entrepreneurs. Both sides are fulfilling their obligations,” Director of Ontustik Special Economic Zone Sergey Tsoi said.
    The Yuteks management was not so optimistic, however. At first, the enterprise’s production was export-oriented, but now it is experiencing problems selling its products.
    “Production quality meets international standards. We can participate in state purchases, whether for bed linens or overalls - our professionals can create any product,” Director Sholpan Dzharassova told Akhmetov.
    “Manufacturers need the opportunity to obtain state orders from large enterprises and state bodies and participate in exhibitions to showcase their products and prepare preliminary memorandums of cooperation for exhibitions,” the vice prime minister said.
    As for heating supply facilities, last year, more than KZT 1 billion was allocated from the oblast budget for the reconstruction of networks and the completion of a new heating supply scheme.
    As part of this work, two updated pumping facilities were constructed. “KZT 1.7 billion more is required to complete the reconstruction of the heating supply system and resolve other problems. We expect the government to finance this work under the anti-recession program,” Shymkent Akim Arman Zhetpisbayev said, according to Kazinform.