First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Finance Alikhan Smailov spoke about urgent social measures aimed at improving the welfare of the people at a briefing in the Government’s press center.

As Smailov noted, on the instructions of the Head of State, the Government of Kazakhstan has developed a package of urgent social measures to address pressing social issues of improving the welfare of the people. By the end of this year, more than 300 thousand unemployed and self-employed will be covered by employment promotion measures. Including through short-term vocational training in the framework of the programs "Bastau Business" and "Zhas Kasіpker."

Much attention will be paid to stimulating entrepreneurship by providing preferential loan funds and grants for those interested in starting a business. It is planned to increase the efficiency of the process of providing targeted social assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population.

“The most important task of the Government and the National Bank will be the expansion of housing affordability. With this purpose, the volume of rental housing construction for low-income segments of the population will be doubled (up to 20 thousand apartments per year) and three times for working youth (from 1 thousand to 3 thousand apartments per year),” said Smailov.

In all regions, social support measures will be systematized for children from low-income families. The measures include hot meals, free travel, and school supplies. From Sep. 1, an additional 5,000 targeted state educational grants will be allocated for children from low-income and large families.

Effective measures will be taken to actively involve young people in productive employment. From Sep. 1, scholarships for students of vocational education institutions and training with a coverage of 123 thousand people increase by 30%.

“The adoption of these measures will give a new impetus to the growth of the quality of life and social well-being of the people of Kazakhstan,” Smailov summed up.