Kazakhstan Identifies Regions with Enhanced Livability Standards
**Kazakhstan's Living Comfort Levels Vary Across Regions: A Report Reveals**
A recent report by the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy has highlighted significant variations in living comfort levels across Kazakhstan, with urban-rural disparities and environmental challenges impacting quality of life.
### Current Living Comfort Levels
Urban centres, particularly Astana (Nur-Sultan) and Almaty, are rapidly developing, especially in the tech sector. With strong government backing, these cities are creating new job opportunities and fostering a booming tech industry [1][2]. However, some rural and western regions continue to grapple with severe environmental pollution related to ongoing oil extraction. Villages near oil sites such as Kenkiyak, Shubarshi, and Sarkol suffer from extremely poor air quality due to hydrogen sulfide emissions at levels 4-5 times above safety limits. This has led to calls for resettlement and is linked to high disease rates and reduced life expectancy [3][4].
### Government Plans for Infrastructure Improvement
The government is actively promoting digital transformation through initiatives like the Digital Kazakhstan program. Plans include training 100,000 IT specialists by 2025 and fostering a rapidly growing tech industry in Astana Hub, with over 1,500 companies (including 400 international firms). Digital payments and startup incubators are expanding, making cities major tech hubs [2]. To bridge the urban-rural divide, Kazakhstan aims to provide 99% of rural areas with internet access by 2027 [5].
The government is also committed to sustainable development, aspiring to rank among the top 30 developed countries. Efforts are underway to tackle poverty, gender inequality, and environmental sustainability, although progress has been uneven, and some SDG targets are at risk [1].
### Regional Differences in Living Comfort
The Kazakh Ministry of National Economy has identified regions with the highest and lowest levels of comfort for living, based on the System of Regional Standards. The Ulytau Region has a provision rate of 59%, while the Pavlodar Region has a provision rate of 69.2%. Shymkent ranks third, with a provision rate of 88.1%, and Almaty has the highest provision rate of necessary facilities and services, at 92.1%. The newly established Abai Region has the lowest provision rate, at 56.3%. Mangystau Region has a provision rate of 71.3% [6].
The ministry conducts annual monitoring to evaluate the provision of necessary facilities and services in settlements. The evaluation and analysis are performed separately for each region in Kazakhstan. Priority for general transfers is given to settlements that lag most significantly behind target indicators [7].
In 2025, it is planned to allocate 8.6 billion tenge (US$16.6 million) for the Abai Region and 5.2 billion tenge (US$10 million) for the Ulytau Region [8].
### Summary Table
| Aspect | Current Status | Government Plan/Action | |-----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Urban living comfort | High in cities, rapidly developing tech hubs | Support for tech industry growth and digitalization[2] | | Rural living comfort | Challenged by environmental pollution and poor infrastructure | 99% rural internet coverage by 2027[5] | | Environmental conditions | Severe pollution in oil extraction areas | No clear end to oil extraction, despite concerns[3] | | Healthcare improvements | Maternal mortality down 73% since 1993 | Ongoing health initiatives aligned with SDGs[1][4] | | Economic inequality | 10% population owns 66% wealth | SDGs emphasize poverty reduction, but slow progress[1] |
In conclusion, while urban regions in Kazakhstan enjoy growing economic and tech opportunities with improving infrastructure, rural and oil-affected areas face significant environmental and health challenges. The government is prioritizing digital infrastructure expansion and sustainable development to enhance living conditions nationwide, with ambitious plans underway but persistent regional disparities remaining [1][2][3][5].
The report does not mention any plans or actions to address the identified issues or improve the comfort levels in the regions. Furthermore, the report does not provide details about the specific needs or issues identified in each region. Annual monitoring is conducted to evaluate the provision of necessary facilities and services in settlements, with the evaluation and analysis performed separately for each region in Kazakhstan. The report was released by Kazinform on July 3.
The government's Digital Kazakhstan program seeks to foster a tech industry boom, particularly in Astana Hub, while concurrently aiming to provide 99% of rural areas with internet access by 2027, addressing the urban-rural divide in digital infrastructure. However, the government's policy-and-legislation, as reflected in the report, does not appear to contain specific plans or actions to improve the living comfort levels or address the identified issues in various regions, such as those affected by severe environmental pollution from oil extraction. This lack of direct action in the report raises questions about the government's policy to tackle these regional challenges in politics and general news.