The Head of State K. Tokayev in his Address listed a number of additional initiatives aimed primarily at improving the well-being of the people of Kazakhstan. The article describes the way the social sphere issues are solved in one of the large industrial centers of the country, Pavlodar region, what measures are provided to support small and medium-sized businesses, what are the main results of the socio-economic development of the region for the 7 months of the year in general.

As the figures show, the socio-economic development of the Pavlodar region has maintained a positive trend and growth in all major sectors of the economy over the past 7 months.

The region is a major industrial centre of the country with a multi-sectoral industrial complex.

Since the beginning of the year, the region has produced industrial products worth 1,901.6 billion tenge. The region retains a leading position in manufacturing (2nd place after Karaganda Region) with 1,258.3bn tg.

About 60% of the country's coal production, 57% of ferroalloy production and 30% of petroleum products are produced here.

Raw aluminium and alumina production in the country are entirely in the Pavlodar region. The region's energy-generating enterprises provide more than 40% of the region's electricity.

The gross output of the agro-industrial complex amounted to 120.8 billion tenge, which is 2.5% higher than last year. This year, the area under crops has increased by 6.1% to 1.6 million hectares.

The construction sector is actively developing. The volume of works for 7 months made up 100,7 billion tenge or 107,9 % of the corresponding period of 2021. More than 140 thousand sq.m. of housing was commissioned, which is 16.6% more than last year. An increase in investment activity has also been noted. The region's economy attracted 303.1 billion tenge of investments, over 86 per cent of which were private funds. A pool of 16 projects worth 601.1 billion tenge has been formed for the future.

There was a 1.8% increase in domestic trade turnover, which amounted to 598.8bn tenge since the beginning of 2022. Retail trade increased by 0.7% and wholesale trade by 2.1%.

There are 48,000 SMEs operating in the region, employing more than 138,000 people in the region. Since the beginning of the year, SMEs have manufactured products worth 199.2 billion tenge, an increase of 108.6% over the 2021 level.

Pavlodar enterprises export their products to 40 countries annually. The region leads in exports of unalloyed (primary) aluminium, aluminium oxide, seamless pipes, polypropylene, railway cluster products (wheels, switches), and copper concentrate.

Since the beginning of this year, exports have totalled $1.4 billion (4M 2022), of which non-resource exports have amounted to more than $1 billion. Non-commodity exports are expected to amount to about $3 billion.

In order to improve the quality of life, welfare and income of the population, a short-term action programme for 2022 has been adopted based on 2,500 citizen proposals.

The principles of employment centres have been changed, and cooperation with the HR services of companies is ongoing. Mobile employment centres operate in remote villages. Centres have been opened at 19 educational institutions. Here young people receive assistance in the form of consultations, documentation, job placement or internships.

From Sept. 1 this year, a regional pilot project for the development of sectoral vocational guidance will be launched at the regional centre's vocational training and production facility. In addition, last year, vocational guidance was introduced in schools to help pupils in grades 7-11 decide on their future occupation.

The Atlas of New Professions and Competences of the Region has been created and 15 new professions have been included in it. Active work with families in difficult life situations is being carried out. To date, 166 families have received assistance in the form of documents, benefits and employment.

As part of the Year of Children designated by the Head of State, funding for free hot meals in kindergartens and schools has been increased by 1.8 times. Since 1 May this year, all schoolchildren in the region have also been entitled to free public transport.

Infrastructure expansion is being addressed to rehabilitate children with special needs. Centres for children with autism spectrum disorders, rehabilitation and early intervention will be opened.

More than 20,000 children are scheduled to participate in sports and creative activities, twice as many as last year. As part of the Roadmap for Physical Culture and Sports until 2025, the region is expanding its sports infrastructure and building more than 80 sports facilities.

Food prices are under constant scrutiny. The Stabilisation Fund has sold 5,000 tonnes of products worth 1.7 billion tenge. 1.1 billion tenge is involved in the turnover scheme. By the end of the year, a farmer's market will be operating in the regional centre, which will enable direct sales of agricultural produce from producers, without middlemen.

In order to create conditions for comfortable living, 200 courtyards are being improved this year, and greenery is being planted in the settlements. The regional centre's bus fleet is to be renewed by 100 vehicles.

A concept has been developed for the Zhastar neighbourhood in the provincial centre, which will be home to more than 11,000 residents.

Pavlodar region's industry is the backbone of the region's economy

Pavlodar region is one of the most developed industrial regions of Kazakhstan. Industry is the backbone of the region’s economy.

Manufacturing accounts for over 66% of total industrial production. Today, there are some 986 manufacturing companies operating here. More than 56,000 people are employed in the industry.

The industries that form the manufacturing industry include metallurgy, petroleum refining, mechanical engineering, chemicals and petrochemicals, and others.

Production grew in the following sectors: mechanical engineering (102.1%), chemicals (105.4%), finished metal products (123.8%), food (105.8%), light industry (100.4%), furniture (130.1%) and other finished products (145.3%).

The most important products of the region are: ferroalloys, refined oil products, alumina, primary aluminium, cable and wire products, seamless steel pipes, railway products (solid rolled wheels, freight cars, switches, etc.), chlorine, polypropylene, caustic soda and other chemical products, and steel structures.

More than 300 billion tenge attracted investment in the region in the first 7 months of this year

Between 2017 and 2021, about 2.5 trillion tg was invested in the region's economy. More than 5 trillion tg is planned to be invested over the next five years.

As of today, a pool of 143 projects worth more than 2.2 trillion Tenge has been formed, creating 9,600 jobs. Of these, 85 projects worth 1.2 trillion tenge are already underway, and 58 projects worth 1 trillion tenge are in the pipeline.

The region has a Regional Investment Headquarters, which assists initiators in implementing investment projects, resolving problematic issues and attracting new initiatives.

In the first seven months of this year, the region attracted more than 300 billion tenge, 7.5% higher than in the same period last year. The plan for the current year is 697.7 billion tenge. To date, 14 projects worth 10.9 billion tenge have been commissioned. A total of 66 projects worth 44.5 billion tenge are planned to be commissioned for the year.

In addition, a number of major projects for 2023-2024 are currently being adapted. Among them are ferroalloys production by Mineral Product LLP and Ekibastuz FerroAlloys LLP, alkylate production by Intertrans C.A. LLP, establishment of a workshop for production of rough axles and tires for railways by Railcast systems LLP.

The coal mining sector extracts 59.5% of the country's coal output

The mining sector accounts for 21.4% of the region's total industry. There are about 97 companies (large and SME). The industry is represented by coal mining companies and metal ore mining companies employing over 12,000 people.

The coal mining industry extracts 59.5% of the country's total coal production.  The industry is represented by the following enterprises: Bogatyr Komir LLP (hard coal), Euroasian Energy Corporation JSC (hard coal), Maikuben West LLP (brown coal), Angrensor Energo LLP (hard coal), Gamma Sarykol LLP (brown coal), Gamma Taldykol LLP (brown coal), Direct LLP (hard coal), Kainama Komir LLP (hard coal).

The main volumes of coal (more than 80%) are produced at two large enterprises, Bogatyr Komir and Eurasian Energy Corporation. The production capacity of the coal mining companies is 80.3 million tonnes of coal (KCN grade coal - 70.3 million tonnes, 3B grade lignite - 9.4 million tonnes, T grade coal - 0.6 million tonnes).

Coal mining companies ship products to energy companies, the population of the region and the republic, as well as for export to Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia. The annual volume of coal exports is about 18 million tonnes per year.

In order to develop the industry, Bogatyr Komir LLP is implementing a cyclic-flow technology project with an investment of about 80 billion tenge. The implementation of this project in 2023 will increase the production capacity of Bogatyr mine by 8 million tons of coal (from 32 to 40 million tons of coal per year).

The metal ore mining industry is represented by: KAZ Minerals Bozshakol LLP (extraction and processing of copper ore, production of copper concentrate), JSC Maikainzoloto (extraction, processing and concentration of polymetallic ores, production of copper concentrate, raw gold and silver), Fonet ErTai Ak Mining LLP (extraction and concentration of copper ore).

KAZ Minerals Bozshakol LLP is a large scale open pit copper mine with an annual processing capacity of 30 MT of ore and production of 100 kt of copper concentrate. The concentrator has the world's largest ball mills and the second largest gearless SAG mill.

JSC Maikainzoloto carries out underground mining, processing and refining of gold-bearing polymetallic ores. Its capacity is 400 thousand tonnes of ore processing per year.

Fonet Er-Tai AK Mining LLP is engaged in extraction and processing of sulfide copper ore (lower layers) at Ayak-Kojan deposit (Ekibastuz district, Pavlodar region). Capacity of the enterprise is 500 thousand tons of copper concentrate per year.

The metallurgical complex is the dominant sector in the region's economy

The share of metallurgy in the region's manufacturing industry is 71.1%, and in the total volume of industry is 47%. This industry is represented by the following enterprises: JSC Aluminium of Kazakhstan (alumina), JSC Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant (primary aluminium), Aksu Ferroalloy Plant - a branch of JSC TNK Kazchrome (ferroalloys), KSP Steel LLP (seamless pipes), PF Kasting LLP (steel casting, rolled steel). More than 21 thousand people work at metallurgical enterprises.

The metallurgical industry is being developed as part of the modernisation of technological equipment. For example, Aksu Ferroalloy Plant, one of the world's leading metallurgical companies in the production of chromium, silicon and manganese alloys, is implementing a project to Renovate Shop 6 (furnace modernisation). The project will increase production of ferroalloys by 35% and reduce emissions into the atmosphere and specific power consumption by 25%.

More than 20 machine-building enterprises operate in the region

Machine-building accounts for approximately 5% of the region's total output. The share in the manufacturing industry is 7.6%. More than 20 enterprises operate in the region, employing about 4,600 people.

The companies manufacture cable and wire products, switches, spare parts for railway vehicles, freight wagons, lifting machines, specialised machinery, spare parts for power generation equipment, high-pressure hoses, spare parts for agricultural machinery, various non-standardised equipment, abrasive tools, etc.

The largest representatives of the industry are Kazenergokabel JSC, Prommashoplect LLP, ERG Service LLP, Format Mach Company LLP, Pavlodar Temirmash Plant LLP, and Kazakhstan Wagon Building Company LLP.

In addition, there are a number of SMEs operating in the region producing agricultural machinery products: Dafa LLP, TPB Agromir LLP, JSC Peschan RMZ, RSE Enbek Pavlodar, Technological Lines LLP (attachment equipment, spare parts, services, etc.).

A railway cluster has also been formed in the region. It includes Kazakhstan Wagon Building Company LLP, Prommashoplect LLP, Prommash.KZ LLP, Format Mach Company LLP, Technological Lines LLP, RBC Biding LLP, RBC Wilset LLP, RBC Concrete LLP, which have mastered products for production of wagons and railway track superstructures.

In 2021, two projects with a total investment of 17 billion tg were commissioned, creating around 211 jobs:

• Plant for the production of elastic terminals, track screws for rail fastenings - FerroTransTrade LLP.
• Complex for the production of railway wheels up to 300,000 wheels per year - Prommashoplect LLP.

At present, the Railcast System LLP project "Complex for Production of Bandages and Forged Products" is being implemented with a total investment of 70.1bn tg.

Design capacity:

• rough tires for locomotives - 54,500 pcs;
• large gear billets - 27,000 pcs;
• wrought iron products - 20,500 pcs.

The commissioning of new production facilities will ensure annual growth in the mechanical engineering industry.

There has been steady growth in the agribusiness sector

There has been a steady growth in the agro-industrial complex for the first 7 months of 2022. In the region in all types of economic activity on the main job the employed population is 380.8 thousand people, including in agriculture - 59.7 thousand people, which is the largest share of the employed population - 15.7%.

According to the results of 7 months of 2022, the volume of gross output of agriculture amounted to 120.2 billion tenge, IFO of agricultural sector - 102.5%. Investments in fixed capital in agriculture increased by 109.7% by 2021 and amounted to 55 billion tenge.

As of 1 August 2022, meat production was 55,600 tonnes or 105%, milk production was 257,000 tonnes or 101.2%, and eggs were down 6.8% at 138.8 million eggs.

Agricultural exports in January-May 2022 amounted to 121.1 thousand tons of products, in monetary terms - $63.3 million or 180%.

State support for the agro-industrial complex is provided in the form of subsidies and loans. All state services are fully automated.

For 7 months of 2022 the volume of state support in the form of subsidies to agricultural producers in the region amounted to 17.9 billion tenge or 57.3% of the annual plan (32.9 billion tenge), including in directions:

- for subsidies for crop production - 4 billion tenge;

- to support livestock development - 4.9 billion tenge;

- for investments - 5.2 billion tenge;

- for the reimbursement of the leasing interest rate - 3.4 billion tenge.

- processing subsidy - 0.4 billion tg;

For 7 months of 2022 more than 1.1 thousand agricultural enterprises of the region were covered by subsidies. According to the results of 7 months of 2022, structural subdivisions of Baiterek National Management Holding JSC financed 603 agricultural enterprises for 14 billion tg, including

- through Agrarian Credit Corporation JSC, 302 loans worth 7.5 billion tenge, including

- 239 loans worth 5.7 billion tenge under the Agribusiness programme;

- under the Keynes Dala programme, 62 loans worth 1.6 billion tenge;

- under the Ken Dala programme (through ACC head office) 1 loan for Tenge 200 million.

- through KazAgroFinance JSC, 301 loans worth 6.5 billion tenge for the purchase of agricultural machinery.

As part of the forward purchase through NC Prodkorporatsiya JSC under the guarantees of SPK Pavlodar JSC for 7 months of 2022 financed 8 ASTP for 846.8 million tenge.

The main objective of the agro-industrial complex is to fully supply the country with basic foodstuffs

In his Address (01.09.2021), the Head of State said that in general, the main task of the agro-industrial complex is to fully provide the country with basic foodstuffs.

A number of measures have been taken in the region as part of the implementation of the President's instructions. Today, food production accounts for 6.5% of the region's manufacturing industry. In the first 7 months of 2022, foodstuffs worth 82.3 billion tenge (105.8% over the same period of 2021) were produced.

The region produces cereals (wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat), wheat flour, potatoes, vegetables and melons, meat of all kinds, eggs, sausages and processed meat products, milk, processed dairy products (butter, cheese, curds) and other products.

Along with the saturation of the domestic market, agribusiness products are also exported. During the period under review, exports were made by product type:

• 58,700 tonnes of grain worth $14.2m;
• 6,800 tonnes of wheat flour, worth $2.4m;
• croup of 4,300 tonnes, worth $4.6 million;
• 2,300 tonnes of potatoes, worth $0.4m;
• Vegetables and gourds 5.2 thousand tonnes worth $2.2 million;
• sunflower seed oil 16,100 tonnes worth $8.6m,
• Flour products 1,500 tonnes worth $1.9m;
• All types of meat, processed meat and sausage products 1.7 thousand tonnes, worth $1.4 million;
• 0.2 thousand tonnes of eggs, worth $0.1 million;
• milk, sunflower oil, 1,900 tonnes worth $2.7m, etc.

The main markets are Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, China, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Germany, Poland and Austria.

The main exporters are Food Master Trade Company LLP, Best Milk LLP, MolKomPavlodar LLP, PK Pavlodar Kus LLP, Et-Bastau LLP, Rubikom LLP, Pavlodar Smak LLP, Myascom LLP, Abaya LLP, Akvamarin PV LLP, Zernograd LLP, Kolos LLP, KEMMI LLP, Aktogay Agro LLP, PK Pakhar LLP.

Inter-regional integration in the region is well underway

Since last year, the Pavlodar Region has had a Regional Investment Headquarters, which assists initiators in implementing investment projects, resolving problematic issues and attracting new initiatives.

As part of the development of interregional integration with the Russian regions, a delegation from the Omsk Region, headed by Governor Burkov, visited Pavlodar on 19-20 April 2022. A meeting was held with Regional Governor Skakov and heads of sectoral departments. Issues of investment attractiveness of regions and prospective cooperation in the field of industry, agriculture, education, digitalization, medicine, sports and tourism were discussed. The guests had a look at the enterprises of industry, agriculture, sports and culture.

On 12-13 May, Czech entrepreneurs visited to develop bilateral business cooperation.

On May 17 this year, Mr. Skakov, Regional Akim, met with the management of Canarax Trading LLP to discuss the implementation of investment projects in the Yekibastuz industrial zone.

Meetings were also held via videoconference with representatives of state institutions and enterprises in Armenia (15 April this year) and the Altai Territory (18 May this year).

On July 4-7, 2022 a delegation of the Pavlodar region comprising representatives of state authorities and enterprises took part in the XII International Industrial Exhibition INNOPROM in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

During the Forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between Kazenergocable JSC and Urals Plant of Plasticizers LLC for the supply of PVC cable plasticates worth about 3.3 billion tenge.

On 21 July this year, a meeting was held at the House of Investors with the founders of the Russian company Planet Centre LLC (production of paints and packaging materials) and the Director of the Analytical Centre of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. The guests were presented the investment climate of the region, benefits and preferences of the Pavlodar special economic zone with visiting it. Bilateral cooperation issues were discussed and possibility of implementation of investment projects on the territory of Pavlodar region was considered.

In August this year, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Kazakhstan is scheduled to visit Pavlodar. In the course of the visit, meetings will be held with Skakov, Akim of the region, and entrepreneurs of the region, as well as a visit to Neftechim Ltd. and Pavlodar special economic zone is planned.

Number of active SMEs as of August 1 is more than 48,000

The number of active SMEs as of Aug. 1 is 48,240, an increase of 1,826 units or 103.9%, compared to the same period of 2021 (as of 1.08.2021 - 46,414 units).

In Jan-March this year, the number of people employed in SMEs was 133,567, an increase of 2,563 or 102% (Q1 2021 - 131,004).

Production output of SMEs in January-March this year amounted to 199.2 billion tg, in comparison with the same period of the last year increased by 31.7 billion tg or 108.6% (Q1 2021 - 167.5 billion tg).

Under the National Entrepreneurship Development Project, 657 projects (DCB 637 projects, FTE 20 projects) in the SME sector have so far been approved. The largest volume of lending is to the manufacturing industry, as well as to the wholesale and retail trade system. The sectoral structure of projects (657 projects) is as follows:

1. wholesale and retail trade - 226 projects or 34.3%;

2. manufacturing industry - 196 projects or 29.8%;

3. Provision of other services - 56 projects or 8.5%.

4. transport and storage - 53 projects or 8.1%;

5. Accommodation services - 53 projects or 8.1%;

6. Agriculture, forestry - 43 projects or 6.5%;

7. Construction - 20 projects or 3%;

8. Education - 6 projects or 1%;

9. Information and communication - 4 projects or 0,6%

In the first seven months of this year, the volume of housing commissioned was 141,700 sq m.

The Nurly zher programme is being actively implemented in the region. The programme consolidates all measures of state support in the sphere of housing construction and provision of housing. The state programme is financed from the republican and local budgets. A unified housing policy is being implemented through mortgage lending and social rented housing programmes without the right of redemption. The housing built under the state programmes is mainly aimed at citizens on the waiting list for housing from the state housing fund, such as socially vulnerable groups, mothers with many children, orphans, and state employees and public sector workers.

This year, more than 200,000 square metres are planned to be commissioned with public funds. Thus, the construction of 5 residential buildings (28, 33, 39, 40, 41) continues in Saryarka micro-district. This year it is planned to complete construction of Saryarka microdistrict, which will consist of 42 multi-storey residential buildings, that is more than 3,500 flats.

The first stage of the Dostyk neighbourhood is currently under active construction. In addition, housing is being built in Ekibastuz and Aksu.

Under the Nurly Zher programme, the national budget allocates funds amounting to 160,000 tenge per square metre. However, the cost of 1 sq.m of housing according to the design and estimate documentation is more than 200 thousand tenge. In this connection, the missing funds for 1 sq.m. are provided from the local regional budget.

In the first seven months of this year, the volume of housing commissioned was 141,700 m2, an increase of 16.6% on the same period last year.

How road projects under the Nurly Zhol programme are developing in the region

The total length of the road network of local roads in Pavlodar region is 3,842 km, including 1,010 km of region roads and 2,832 km of district roads.

According to the results of road repair works in 2021, the share of local roads in standard condition is 3,458 km or 90%. As part of the state programme of infrastructural development "Nurly Zhol" on capital and medium repairs 29 projects with the length of 266 km, worth 8.3 billion tenge, including from the national fund - 5.6 billion tenge, from the regional budget - 2.7 billion tenge.

There are no reconstruction projects under the Nurly Zhol programme.

The National Entrepreneurship Development Project in the region reached 10,314 people in the first 7 months of this year

During 7 months of the current year, 12559 jobs were created in the region, including 6979 permanent and 5580 temporary jobs. The largest number of permanent jobs was created in agriculture (23.3%), trade (18.0%), industry (11.0%). The number of jobs created under national projects is 5,035, and 7,524 jobs have been created through private initiatives.

A total of 4,923 people were employed in permanent jobs.

In the first seven months of the year, the National Entrepreneurship Development Project covered 10,314 people, of whom 892 were trained (304 at the request of employers for training in educational organizations, 75 for training at the employer's workplace, and 513 for online training).

Employment measures covered 8,903 people, including 4,923 permanent jobs, 3,980 subsidized jobs, 450 social jobs, 284 youth internships and 3,118 community service jobs.

In the projects "First job" - 74, "Contract of generations" - 7, "Silver age" (to employ people of pre-retirement age) - 47.

As part of the "Creating conditions for starting your own business" project, 394 people were trained in the basics of entrepreneurship, 2 people received microcredits, and 123 grants were awarded.

As part of the national project "Strong Regions - Driver of National Development", 1,427 people have been resettled, including 1,247 resettlers and 180 Kandaks.

In order to provide employment and support for young people in the NEET category, Centres for Current Vocations have been operating in all towns and districts since April this year. At the centres, jobseekers receive assistance on a one-stop-shop basis, from psychological profiling to further employment and business ideas. The managers of the centres assist jobseekers with short-term courses, internships and available jobs on the labour market. All job seekers register with the Tandau information system. During the past period of this year, the centres have assisted 1,000 people (201 people found jobs, 156 on permanent jobs, 45 on temporary jobs, 9 started businesses, 35 received short-term training, 755 completed internships).

The situation on the labour market is stable. The unemployment rate for Q2 2022 was 4.8% (Q2 2021 - 4.8%). The youth unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 2.8% compared to the same period of the previous year.

There are no emergency schools in Pavlodar region

More than 37,600 children are currently being educated in 381 pre-schools in the region. Coverage of children aged 1-6 years is 83.5%, 2-6 years - 91.1%, 3-6 years - 100%.

There are plans to open a 260-seat kindergarten in Ekibastuz in 2022, which will create new places and thereby increase the coverage of preschool education and training for children aged 1-6 years to 83.8% and 2-6 years to 92%.

There are no emergency schools in the Pavlodar region. 83% of all schools in the region are equipped with newly modified classrooms. From 2019, the deficit of pupil places has been reduced from 11,000 to 7,000, which will be completely eliminated by 2025. To solve the problem of deficit of pupil places in the region in 2021-2025 it is planned to build and put into operation 22 objects of secondary education, including for the current year - 5 objects at the expense of targeted construction (2066 pupil places).

1) A 210-seat school in the Zheleznodorozhniki settlement in Pavlodar, to be commissioned in August 2022.

2) A 312-seat annex to the existing Pavlodar Secondary General Education Gymnasium No. 9.

The construction work started in May this year, with a deadline of 10 months.

3) A 1200-seat school in Dostyk Microdistrict, Pavlodar. Tender procedures are being carried out by the Construction Department.

4) An 80-seat school with a 20-bed mini-centre in the village of Moiseevka, Zhelezinski district.

Negotiations with a construction company are currently underway.

5) Addition for 264 places to the existing secondary general school № 34 of Pavlodar. The construction department has sent the design and estimate documentation for the repeated complex non-departmental expertise, the approximate date of receipt of the state expertise is September of the current year.

All educational organizations are equipped with the necessary computer hardware and have more than 39,000 computer units. Availability of computers is 100%. All schools (100%) of the region are connected to the Kundelik system. In schools of the region the digital educational resources of educational platforms are used: 307Online mektep.kz, 18 Daryn.online.kz, 3 Edupage, 1 1.Sabak.kz. In addition, to organize distance learning, educational platforms Khan Academy, Opiq.kz, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Quizizz-Free, Online Test Pad, LearninqApps.orq and others, various messengers, Zoom remote conference service were used.

All 359 (100%) schools in the region have broadband Internet access. 100% of schools in the region are provided with Wi-Fi access points.

By the end of this year, it is planned to increase the coverage of children to 2,2394 by placing public contracts with private organisations. A total of 1.6 billion tenge has been earmarked for this purpose.

For reference: To date, a sports order has been placed for 13,000 children in 21 sports in 86 private organisations.

Creative orders have been placed for 6174 children in 21 areas in 42 private organisations.

Annually till 2025 it is planned to place 1110 educational state order for 7 directions in 15 private organizations for a total sum of 1 717 779,0 thousand tenge, including in 2022 - 2220 seats for the sum of 190 210,0 thousand tenge.

New and in-demand areas such as robotics, IT, STEM learning and others are being introduced in club activities.

For reference: there are 205 dombra classes for 6,811 children and chess classes.

Within the framework of the Year of Children in the region, initiatives aimed at social support for children are being implemented. Free one-time hot meals were provided to 44521 students in grades 1-4. From 1 April 2022, the cost of hot meals was increased from 315 to 450 tg, and more than 4.0 billion tg was allocated.

For reference: 5,9387, or 52.6% of pupils or students in the region are covered by free hot meals, paid for from the local budget and sponsor funds.

Kindergartens also provide free meals to 5,322 children from socially disadvantaged families (large families, low-income families).

From 1 May this year, more than 83,000 pupils in grades 1-11 travel free of charge on city public transport.

For reference: coverage of free transport in Pavlodar, Ekibastuz, Aksu schools from (6) 7 years up to the time of graduation.

Since June 1, 113 thousand pupils have received Akhmet Baitursynov card, thanks to which they can visit all the museums in the region for free until the end of this year.

In 2021, the annual Tauelsizdik ulany project was launched, which aims to support 300 talented children and children who have committed socially important acts, with a one-time bonus of 50 MCI (145,850) tg.

An institute of career guidance counsellors consisting of psychologists is being introduced, 338 teachers will undergo special training, with 105.9 million tenge allocated for this purpose from ERG sponsorship funds. This year, more than 62,000 students will be covered by vocational guidance activities.

In order to ensure quality transportation of children, 46 school buses will be purchased at a cost of 2,520,230.3 tenge.

To date, more than 3,000 students have received more than 20 million tenge in aid as part of the Road to School campaign. The campaign will continue until the end of September.

As for professional technical education, there are 44 colleges in the region (30 state, 14 private) with 21,900 students. Of these, 14,600 are state-ordered students.

Over the past 5 years, the state order has increased from 3,905 places to 5,600 places, including 1,000 places from RB.

By 2025, it is planned to cover 100% of students in free technical and vocational education (based on the 9th grade). Compared to 2020, the state order for engineering, manufacturing and construction has doubled (from 1,916 to 3,255 places).

About 1,000 students are being trained in 15 new professions in the regional Atlas of New Professions at 15 colleges. From the academic year 2022-2023, another 3,000 students will be trained in 25 new professions.

A third of state order students are trained in a dual mode at 146 companies.

The employment rate for the new graduates is now 58%, given that the boys only graduated on 30 June. Over three years, the employment rate with employment is at least 96%. In 2019 - 96% (4,630 in total), in 2020 - 96% (4,562 in total), in 2021 - 96% (4,895 in total)

As part of the Zhas Maman project, Competence Centres have been set up at 10 colleges.

At the request of the President, 27 regional enterprises have taken over the patronage of 27 colleges, including representatives of large businesses such as Aluminium of Kazakhstan JSC, Kazenergokabel JSC and others. Provision has been made to equip the laboratories and workshops of the colleges, as well as internships and job placements for students and graduates.

There are already results. ERG has built two dormitories for 400 people and provides paid internships at enterprises with salaries of up to 250,000 tenge. This year, the company has allocated more than 500 million tenge to improve the material and technical base of colleges.

The Science and Education Centre is scheduled to open by 1 September this year.

The Centre for Current Professions project is being implemented in the region.

At the centres, unemployed young people receive the help they need on a one-stop-shop basis, from psychological profiling to employment and business ideas. The Tandau information system is used to monitor youth employment.

To date, more than 1,300 people have received services, 256 of whom have been employed, and 1,010 young people have received work placements at industrial enterprises in the manufacturing industry.

Over the past three years, 34,743.1 million tenge has been allocated for health development, including 9,946.7 million tenge for 2022 (2020 - 12,030.2 million tenge, 2021 - 12,764.4 million tenge).

In Pavlodar region there are 35 state medical organisations, 285 state medical facilities and 82 private medical institutions, of which 32 are state-ordered.

The following indicators have been achieved with the funds channelled:

• The percentage of medical equipment in the region was 87.37%;
• The network of infectious diseases services was expanded by the construction of a modular infectious diseases centre and an infectious diseases unit at the regional hospital (dermatological and venereological unit), and a building in Ekibastuz was reconstructed as an infectious diseases unit;
• A new reception area at City Hospital No. 1 has been commissioned, where patients are triaged according to a triage system.

The mortality rate from accidents, poisoning and injuries decreased by 8.1% in the first half of the year (6M 2021 - 87.1, 6M 2022 - 80);

• The ambulance fleet has been completely renewed. 109 new reanimobiles have been purchased. In 2022 Pavlodar regional ambulance station was recognized as the best in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• The newly built Regional Oncological Dispensary has been in operation since 2019. In the first seven months of 2022, there was a 2% increase in the incidence of malignant neoplasms in the region. The figure indicates that there is an active detection of new cases of the disease. The mortality rate has fallen by 3% since the beginning of the year.
• In 2021, a fourth stroke centre with 20 beds was opened on the basis of the Regional Heart Centre. The mortality rate from circulatory diseases fell by 12.6%. Also important is the development of inpatient care. As the construction of a new multi-purpose hospital has been postponed beyond 2025, a project has been launched to reconstruct the buildings of Municipal Hospital No. 1 in Pavlodar with modern equipment. Pavlodar with the introduction of modern hybrid operating theatres.

The next area for which indicators are strategic is obstetrics and childhood. The equipment of obstetric institutions as a whole is 90.3%. In 2022, 46 units of medical equipment to an amount of over 484.07 million tenge were purchased in the framework of the Maternity and Childbirth Act. The regional Akimat allocated budgetary funds to the sum of 24 million tenge for carrying out training of ultrasound specialists in Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia) in September - October, 2022. A visiting training cycle for the Ekaterinburg Clinical Perinatal Centre is planned on the sponsorship of 22 million tenge, allocated by KF ERG Komek. In addition, projects to build a new building and to reconstruct the buildings of the Regional Children's Hospital (somatic and surgical wings) are in the pipeline. In order to develop the cardiology service, a consultative-diagnostic department of the Pavlodar Regional Cardiology Centre with a capacity of 480 visits per shift is under construction. The construction of the consultative and diagnostic department will improve the quality of services and solve the problem of waiting lists. In order to provide rehabilitation assistance to adults and children of the region, there are plans to reconstruct the building of the region rehabilitation centre with the necessary equipment in 2023.

In addition, the reconstruction of the building for the Early Intervention Centre (Kamkorlyk) for newborns will be completed by the end of this year.

All necessary measures are being taken in the region to provide the population with full rehabilitation assistance. Six mobile medical complexes (one KAMAZ and five specialised bus transports) are travelling out for people in rural areas. The schedule of visits by the PMKs of the districts began in April 2022. A total of 61.6 per cent of the plan was examined (the plan for 2022 is 32781 people).

In 2021, a medical clinic in Kyzylzhar village, Aksu s.r.l., will be built. Aksu. Within the limits of the Plan of development of the region till 2025, it is planned to build 15 objects of primary health care in rural area (VA - 4, MF - 6, FAP - 4, annex to VA - 1). Including in 2023 in plan is construction of 3 medical objects in rural settlements (VA s. Naberezhnoe (Pavlodar rayon); FAP village. Pogranichnik (Aksu village); MP s. A. Margulana (Yekibastuz township).

This year it is planned to work out design and estimate documentation for 8 medical facilities for overhaul and repair of 16 facilities at the expense of the republican and regional budgets. To ensure proper functioning of the region's health care system, the priority is to develop human resources. In public health system of the region 2066 doctors, 5456 average medical workers work. Doctors deficit makes up 163 (Pavlodar - 85, Ekibastuz - 8, Aksu - 14, districts - 56). In 2022 it is expected that 157 young specialists will join the country, including 14 residents, trained on a grant financed from the local budget. In 2021, funds amounting to 210 mln tenge from the local budget were allocated to train 84 medical professionals in anaesthesiology, gynaecology, ophthalmology and oncology for advanced training in foreign clinics.

According to the Digital Kazakhstan state programme, the Pavlodar region is working to improve the quality of life through the use of digital technologies.

At present, 35 medical organisations of the region have access to the Internet, and 6,620 workplaces are equipped with computer equipment. All medical organisations in the region work in medical information systems (Infomed Kazakhstan, Damumed, InFoDonor, Avicenna, Komek).

In the region, 9,297 health professionals have been trained to use information systems. More than 747,000 (747,012) electronic health passports have been created, covering 98.6% of the region's population.

A system of electronic prescriptions has been introduced in polyclinic services. The PACS system, which allows the results of diagnostic tests to be digitised and stored in an EHR (electronic health passport), is also being actively implemented in the region's medical institutions. To date, 25 medical organisations are connected to the PACS system.

The implemented Laboratory Research System allows data to be automatically entered into the MIS (Medical Information System) with a laboratory analyser.

The ambulance station operates the MIS Komek, which is integrated with the systems IS Register of Attached Population (RAP), IS Resource Management System (RMS), IS Unified Payment System (UPS), KMIS Damumed, KMIS Avicenna.

70 ambulance crews are 100% equipped with tablets and smartphones. All ambulance vehicles of the ambulance station are equipped with GPS-navigators. The ambulance service has access to electronic health passports of patients. A mobile version of GPS sensors has been installed in the emergency rooms, which displays the status of the teams (on call, free, transporting, to which hospital and according to which category of call), information about the call and the composition of the team. With this version, all information about the call is available in a single application.

Tourism investment projects are implemented in the region on an ongoing basis

The tourism potential of the Pavlodar region is represented by 123 accommodation facilities with a one-time capacity of 8,610 beds.

An analysis of the 2016-2019 statistics shows an annual increase in the number of visitors served by accommodation facilities.

In the first 3 months of 2022, the number of visitors to the region was 23,158, which is 120.9% compared to the same period in 2021 (19,151).

The volume of services rendered during this period amounted to 432411.9 thousand tenge, with an increase of 127.5% compared to the same period of 2021.

Tourism investment projects are implemented in the region on an ongoing basis.

Four facilities are currently under construction in Bayanaul resort area: Aidabol LLP 2-storey building for 100 beds with mansard, swimming pool, restaurant, amount of investments 1 billion tenge; Tulpar LLP 2021 rest house for 250 beds, bath house, garage for rest house, amount of investments 1 billion tenge; Kozhin IE rest house for 30 beds, amount of investments 220 million tenge; Toleubekov IE 2-storey all-year camping on the shore of Lake Sabyndykol for 33 beds. Toleubekov IE 2-storey, year-round camping on the shore of Lake Sabyndykol for 33 beds, investment amount of 150 million tg.

A water park is under construction in Pavlodar with an investment of 3bn tg and a multifunctional Pride family complex with an investment of 800m tg.

Comprehensive work was carried out to improve Pavlodar's central beach: sheds, sun loungers, showers, changing rooms, a jetty, drinking fountains and sanitary facilities were installed at a cost of 120 million tenge.

In the Maraldy recreation area in Shcherbakti district this year, additional sheds, summer cafés, kazandyks, pergolas and sunbeds have been built and more than 35 million tenge have been purchased.

At Lake Tuzkala in Ak-Kuly District, 4 recreation areas have been improved for an investment of 7.5 million tenge, and work is underway to connect power lines to the recreation areas.

In 2022, the region is implementing 10 projects for the construction and reconstruction of housing and communal facilities

In 2020-2021, 15 projects totaling 5.9 billion tenge were implemented to develop engineering infrastructure for water supply and sanitation in the regional centre. As part of the projects, 1.8 km of water supply and 7.4 km of wastewater disposal networks were reconstructed. At the end of 2021, 2 facilities have been commissioned, with the remainder in the implementation stage.

In 2020 implementation of 5 projects for a total amount of 3,030 million tenge. The projects included construction and reconstruction of 5 km of wastewater and 0.7 km of water supply networks. At the end of the year, 2 facilities have been commissioned.

In 2021, 4 projects (3 ongoing and 1 new) were under implementation at a cost of 2,946.5 million tenge. Under the projects, 2.4 km of wastewater and 1.1 km of water supply networks were reconstructed. No facilities were commissioned at the end of the year.

In 2022, 10 projects (4 ongoing and 6 new) worth 6,010.5 million tenge are being implemented for the construction and reconstruction of 16.7 km of wastewater and 3.5 km of water supply networks. At the end of the year, 7 facilities are planned to be commissioned.

- Accomplished reconstruction of 8.1 km of networks ("Construction of heating main TM-5 from TT-213 to TT-216 in Zatonsky Residential District - 850 million tng, 0.8 km in length, Construction of TM-42 from UT-15 (TM-43) to TT-864 (TM-24) - 2991.1 million tng - Construction of heating main in Radioplant and Lesozavod districts of Pavlodar - 2,091.1 mln tenge, 4 km long and Construction of heating pipeline in Radioplant and Lesozavod districts of Pavlodar - 1,065.4 mln tenge, 3.3 km long. 3.3 km).

In 2022, the construction of a 1.4 km TM-31 heating main will be completed for an amount of 1.8 billion tg, and a 1.3 km heating main from TC-227 is under construction for an amount of 2.1 billion tg.

In addition, 13.7 km of heating networks and 10.6 km of water supply and wastewater disposal networks were overhauled in 2020-2021 at the expense of service companies.

During the period from 2020-2021, 2680 lighting poles with LED lamps have been completed (in 2021 - 2550 lighting poles, in 2022 - 130 poles), works on repair and restoration of yard area at M.Gorkogo Street, 31 (secondary school №39), improvement of Mashhur Zhusup Mosque territory, major repairs of The Third Millennium public garden  (Annunciation Cathedral) and the Square of state symbols have been done.

Under the landscaping programme, over eight thousand trees and bushes and eight hundred metres of hedges have been planted, 35,000 square metres of flower beds and lawns have been planted, and over 40,000 trees have been pruned.

In 2021, as part of the housing stock modernisation programme, major repairs were completed at 62/1 Ivanov Street (for a total of Tenge 55.8 million) and two expired lifts were replaced on a cost recovery basis. In 2022, major repairs to two residential buildings and repairs to a number of streets were completed.

Investment in digitalisation increased by 40-50%

To date, digital initiatives are being actively implemented in the region in order to create a comfortable environment and interaction between the population and the authorities. Every year 2 to 4 digitalisation projects are implemented in the region. Investments in digitalisation development have increased by 40-50%.

Today the land fund of the regional centre and single-industry towns in the region is fully digitised, digital master plans and detailed plans have been created, and public services in the area of land relations, architecture and urban planning have been transferred into electronic format.

The development of a universal library system based entirely on web technologies is in the works, which will provide comprehensive automation of library operations in the region, resulting in streamlined and transparent processes, consolidated data on the region's book collection and others.

The development of an information platform for small and medium-sized businesses has begun. The initiative is being implemented with the aim of providing new web-based tools for doing business in one space.

The development of an information system for the Pavlodar region Centre of Current Professions has been completed. Thanks to this system, the population of the region can receive additional education, take short-term courses in in-demand professions, and apply for internships and employment.

As part of measures to de-bureaucratise Pavlodar region Akimat processes, budget planning, strategic planning and budget execution have been digitised in the E-akimat 365 system. Today, due to the digitisation of data on rural settlements , the system automatically determines each rural settlement need for appropriate social and engineering infrastructure facilities in accordance with the System of Regional Standards and Sector Norms. The system provides not only a broad transition to electronic information exchange, but also greater efficiency in decision-making and transparency in budgetary processes.

There are two successful digital technology parks in the region, established at Toraygyrov University and Zhylyzhay-Teplitsa IT Hub at the College of Information Technology. The regional hubs cooperate with Astana Hub, an international technopark, to develop digitalisation in the region and support IT start-ups.

The hubs provide a modern and unique educational infrastructure for training qualified IT personnel, including the Digital Lab 3D print, Smart Systems, Design Studio, Graphic Design Lab and others, which is unique by CIS standards. Students are trained for the WORLD SKILLS and Junior Skills championships, including winners and runners-up in national and international cybersecurity competitions.

Joint business projects between students and technopark business partners on commercial orders are now widely implemented.