Kazakhstan starts building new railroad to China: cargo turnover to increase by another 20 mln tons
Images | primeminister.kz
The construction of a new railway line Bakhty - Ayagoz with a length of 272 km started in Abay region. Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, gave an official start to the works in the mode of teleconference, primeminister.kz reports.
The project is realized within the framework of execution of the instruction of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on increase of transport-transit potential of Kazakhstan. During construction of the new line it is planned to open the third border crossing with China Bakhty - Chuguchak.
In general, the railway line Bakhty - Ayagoz will increase the throughput capacity between Kazakhstan and China from 28 to about 48 million tons, unload the southern checkpoints and attract additional volumes of transit. It is planned that the double-track railroad will be put into operation in 2027.
The large-scale project will be realized with the participation of a private investor on PPP principles. In the course of construction 11 stations, 47 bridges, 23 railroad and 8 highway overpasses, 5 pedestrian bridges, 16 observation structures will be erected. For this purpose it is planned to purchase over 500 thousand units of sleepers and 36 tons of rails from domestic manufacturers. Local content is expected to be at least 85%.
Prime Minister noted that last year Kazakhstan's railroads transported the maximum volume of cargo for 30 years of independence, which amounted to 245 billion tons/kilometer. High rates are maintained in the current year, despite the geopolitical situation and infrastructure constraints.
Over the past five years, the volume of transit container transportation has grown 3.2 times. Existing transit corridors are being expanded and new ones are being opened. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, North-South and Southern corridors have become particularly relevant," Alikhan Smailov said.
At the same time, the throughput and infrastructure capacities have reached their peak. To address this strategic issue, a decision was made to implement a number of infrastructure projects in the railway industry.
Thus, in November last year, construction of second tracks on the Dostyk - Moyinty section began. In the current year, work on a new railroad bypassing Almaty and the railroad line Darbaza - Maktaaral was launched. In total, over 1300 km of railroads will be built in the republic within three years.
Prime Minister added that the construction of the highway will provide jobs for more than 1,700 people. At the same time, the opening of unloading and loading places will also entail the creation of new jobs.
All this will have a positive impact on the economy of not only Abay region, but also the whole country. The implementation of the Bakhty - Ayagoz project will also accelerate the integration of Kazakhstan's railway network into the world transport system," Alikhan Smailov emphasized.
Kanat Almagambetov, deputy chairman of the board of KTZ, said that the new branch line will increase the volume of Kazakhstan's exports, as well as the transit of goods from Russia to China and back.
Goods coming from Abay region, Pavlodar, East Kazakhstan regions and others will pass through this branch line. The construction of a double-track line is a guarantee that it will be at once with sufficient capacity. In general, it will be an additional inflow of transit cargo and an impetus to the development of our neighboring territories," he said.
The event was attended by the heads of the Abay regional Akimat, the Ministry of Transportation, Samruk-Kazyna JSC, KTZ, current employees and veterans of the industry.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
relevant news
Kazakh Government to allocate KZT 10 bln to buy grain from farmers
At the Agriculture's Workers Forum, the Head of State assigned the Government to buy grain directly from farmers through the ProdCorporation in a volume sufficient to keep reasonable market prices. Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparbayev revealed the Kazakh Government will allocate 10 billion tenge from the reserves to acquire 150,000 tons of grain, Kazinform News Agency reports.
It will be bought through the ProdCorporation to restore the plunge in the grain purchasing process.
He said five export contracts worth 20 million US dollars have already been concluded.
Besides, grain shipping subsidy rules are to be adopted soon. Subsidies are expected to reduce freight charges to the ports of the Black Sea, the Baltics, Southeast Asia, etc., to make the country’s grain competitive in Europe, Africa, Caucasus, and other promising markets.
As earlier reported, the country’s first-ever Agriculture Workers’ Forum took place in Astana on November 15. The Minister highlighted Kazakhstan harvested a record-high 26.7 million tons of grain in 2024.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan to boost pharmaceuticals production
In 2024, Kazakhstan reported an 18% increase in pharmaceuticals production, with the output reaching 124 billion tenge. This is what Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova said at the Government’s weekly meeting today, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to her, there are 43 manufacturers of pharmaceuticals in Kazakhstan.
In 2024, under the long-term contracts, 702 items of pharmaceutical products have been supplied. In 2025, production of pharmaceuticals is set to be increased to 1,728 items," the minister emphasized.
As part of import substitution work, starting from 2025, the list of home-produced pharmaceuticals will be expanded with the support of the existing domestic producers, the cooperation with the global international pharmaceutical companies will be intensified, and the terms for concluding long-term offtake contracts will be revised," the minister added.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
How many people live in Kazakhstan
As of October 1, 2024, the number of population in Kazakhstan has reached 20,223,218, having increased by 189,376 in nine months. 12,704,977 people live in urban areas, and 7,518,241 live in rural settlements, Kazinform News Agency learned from the National Statistics Bureau.
278,700 children were born across Kazakhstan from January to September, while the number of deaths was at 99,500. Thus, natural population increase made 179,200.
The highest birth rate is observed in Turkistan region (25.04 births/1000 population), Mangistau region (24.84) and Shymkent city (23.68).
The highest death rate was reported in the North Kazakhstan region (11.52 deaths /1000 population), East Kazakhstan region (11.32) and Kostanay region (10.12), which is explained by the age pattern of these regions’ population.
Meanwhile, 95,000 marriages and 29,300 divorces were registered countrywide in six months.
20,383 people arrived in Kazakhstan and 10,201 left the country in January-September 2024, with the migration balance amounting to 10,182 people.
Compared to the corresponding period in 2023, the number of arrivals in Kazakhstan increased by 6.5%, and the number of departures from Kazakhstan decreased by 19.9%
The number of people moving within the country increased by 47.4% compared to the same period in 2024.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
New deputy interior minister of Kazakhstan named
Images | gov.kz
Sanzhar Adilov has been appointed as the new deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Adilov’s previous position was the head of the Beissenov Karaganda Academy under the Internal Affairs Ministry of Kazakhstan.
Adilov began his service in the internal affairs bodies in 1999, rising to senior positions. In 2019, he was appointed as the chief of the investigative department of the Interior Ministry. In May 2023, he took the position of the chief of the police department of Karaganda region.
Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan named new judges-coordinators on interaction with mass media.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Olzhas Bektenov holds Commission on Asset Recovery meeting: additional 525 billion tenge is returned to state income
Images | primeminister.kz
The regular meeting of the Commission on Asset Recovery was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, primeminister.kz reports.
The Commission approved the conclusion of agreements with the subjects of the Law "On the return of illegally acquired assets to the state" on the transfer of funds in favour of the state and the implementation of social projects totalling more than 525 billion tenge. In addition to the transfer of money to the Special State Fund, the Commission approved the construction at the expense of the subjects of the Law: a sports complex for gifted child athletes for 120 seats in the city of Arkalyk, a rehabilitation centre for children with musculoskeletal disorders in Astana, a training centre for people with special needs for 400 seats in Almaty.
As the Head of State noted, all returned funds should work for the benefit of Kazakhstanis. Since the beginning of this year, the Commission has approved agreements on asset recovery totalling over 900 billion tenge. Construction of a number of social infrastructure facilities has already started on these funds," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
Earlier, on the instructions of the President, funds were allocated from the Special State Fund for the construction of a sports complex in the village of Zerenda, Akmola region, and a music school in the village of Temirlan, Turkestan region.
The work of the Commission continues.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Rehabilitation care standards revised in Kazakhstan
Images | pixabay.com
At the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova reported on measures taken in the country to support people with disabilities, primeminister.kz reports.
The Minister noted that by the end of this year it is planned to open six rehabilitation centres, in 2025 three early intervention centres.
Over the last 5 years, the structure of disability of the adult population has remained unchanged. In the first place are diseases of the circulatory system, in the second place are malignant neoplasms, in the third place are mental illnesses.
For the purpose of early diagnosis and prevention of complications of chronic non-infectious diseases, annually at the level of primary health care 3.4 million adults are covered by screening for diseases of the circulatory system, diabetes mellitus, oncology. These patients are provided with dynamic monitoring and free outpatient medicines," Akmaral Alnazarova said.
According to the data presented, there are 83 stroke centres and 48 coronary centres in the country to help patients with cardiovascular diseases. Medical rehabilitation for adults is provided in seven profiles: cardiology, cardiac surgery, neuropathology, neurosurgery, traumatology, orthopaedics and from 2024 malignant neoplasms. Over the last 3 years, the number of rehabilitation beds has been doubled to 8,000 in 772 health care organisations.
The standards of rehabilitation care and minimum equipment requirements have been revised to increase requirements for service providers.
From 2025, a new model for assessing the quality system of primary health care for early detection and prevention of complications of chronic non-communicable diseases is being introduced, which will reduce disability.
Persons with disabilities are included in the privileged category of citizens for whom the State makes monthly MHI contributions. Of the total number of persons with disabilities, 84 per cent are adults and 16 per cent are children under 18 years of age.
In recent years, in many countries there has been a tendency towards an increase in disability, which is due to demographic changes, ageing of the population and improved diagnostics. Asimilar situation is observed in Kazakhstan," Akmaral Alnazarova added.
According to the data, the structure of childhood disability has changed due to the improvement and introduction of new diagnostic methods.
For the last 7 years in Kazakhstan there is a decrease in disability in the categories: congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal anomalies by 5.2%, diseases of the nervous system by 1.7%.
At the same time, neuropsychiatric diseases began to take the leading place in the structure of childhood disability. This is due to the introduction of diagnostic screening for early detection of autism, approval of the clinical protocol for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders," Akmaral Alnazarova summarised.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.