Kazakh Government launches 80 new major industrial projects

Astana (Kazakhstan), Dec. 21 (ANI): A total of 80 new industrial projects will be launched by the Kazakh government today - marking the completion of the initial phase of the country's Programme of Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development (PAIID) for 2010-2014.

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Massimov said that "2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence and new projects, new technological drives and new jobs will be in the spotlight."

Albert Rau, Kazakhstan's First Vice-Minister of Industry and New Technologies, announced that the amount invested in these 80 projects equals KZT 400 billion and 11,500 new jobs will be created.In total, the Kazakh government plans to launch 294 industrial objects worth KZT 8 trillion within the industrialisation programme.

Ultimately, this will create more than 150,000 permanent and 200,000 temporary jobs.To date, 23 projects worth KZT 35 billion have been launched - including four in the Aqmola Oblast, four in the Aktobe Oblast, two in the Almaty Oblast, and another three in the East Kazakhstan Oblast.

The PAIID programme has two objectives, according to Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Asset Issekeshev:.the first relates to a fast technological modernization of the Kazakh economy allied to the country's entry into the Single Economic Space (of the Kazakhstan/Russia/Belarus Customs Union) and the World Trade Organisation.

The second objective concerns progress in developing domestic technologies.(ANI)