Business
2020 was not an easy year for small and medium-sized businesses. The main impact of the pandemic was taken by entrepreneurs who had to work under lockdown and quarantine restrictions.
To overcome the consequences of the pandemic, the state has taken anti-crisis measures to support business entities.
In 2020, 2.8 billion tenge was allocated for the implementation of the Business Roadmap 2025 program. These funds were used to provide subsidies, guarantees, grants and infrastructure to 421 business projects. This is 46% more than in 2019. The projects are aimed at the development of the manufacturing industry, construction, trade, health and education services, hotel business, etc. As a result, 1 tenge of subsidies invested by the state accounts for 10 tenge of investments, 561 jobs were created.
Of the total number of projects of the "DKB 2025" program, single-industry towns account for 34%, due to which 9 billion tenge of investments were involved.
In 2020, the Karaganda region ranks 3rd in the Republic of Kazakhstan in terms of the number of projects under the subsidy instrument.
Within the framework of the mechanism of crediting priority projects "Economy of simple things" in 2020, 114 projects were approved for the amount of loans of 9.5 billion tenge. The projects are aimed at the development of the agro-industrial complex, food, light, and manufacturing industries.
According to the program "Development of productive employment and mass entrepreneurship for 2017-2021 "Enbek" issued 1187 micro-loans, of which almost 92% in rural areas. The projects are aimed at the development of animal husbandry, crop production and services. Micro-loans cover all regions of the region, the largest number of micro-loans in Bukharzhyrau (195), Karkaraly (187) and Zhanaarkinsky (186) districts.
In 2020, the provision of gratuitous grants within the framework of state and regional business support programs continued. In total, 1,871 grants were issued to young entrepreneurs, mothers with many children and other categories of citizens in the amount of 1,135 million tenge to open their own businesses.
The largest number of grants under the program "Enbek" received Karaganda (193 grant) and Zhezkazgan (177), areas Nura (120), Zhanaarka (100), Bukhar Zhyrau (100).
A great help for young entrepreneurs was the holding of competitions for the provision of grants to akims (at the expense of local budgets). For the first time, 45 million tenge was allocated for these purposes in Bukharzhyrau district, and 30 million tenge was allocated in Ulytau district.
Karaganda region was one of the first to hold a competition for the submission of state grants under the program "Business Roadmap-2025" in electronic form through the web portal "E-Government" via the web platform "Qoldau.KZ".
Just by a competitive Commission consisting of 11 people (from among the representatives of the Department of the Agency for combating corruption (anti-corruption service), public associations, industry experts, research and educational institutions, regional media) is considered 204 project applicants, of which selected 13 projects with an average bill grant -4 million tenge.
Among the holders of state grants are socially vulnerable groups of the population, young and beginning entrepreneurs from the districts: Bukhar-Zhyrau, Nurinsky, Aktogay, Osakarovsky and cities: Balkhash, Shakhtinsk, Temirtau, Karaganda,
Under the new program of preferential lending to SMEs aimed at supporting the affected sectors of the economy, 111 loans were provided in the amount of 25.1 billion tenge.
On behalf of the Head of State, the payment of fees under 1289 contracts for the lease of real estate owned by the M & E and the quasi-public sector for 125 million tenge was suspended.
Benefits are provided to 4,800 entrepreneurs from a full exemption to a 40% discount on the rental price. The second-tier banks granted 300 entrepreneurs deferrals on loans, principal debt and interest
To load the existing SMEs, there is a belt of small enterprises around large ones. According to the results of 2020, large companies concluded 724 partner agreements for the supply of products and the provision of services in the amount of 112.7 billion tenge.
Non-financial support measures remain in demand for entrepreneurs. In 2020, more than 2.6 thousand people were trained in the basics of doing business, including 1800 people under the projects "Bastau-Business" and "Business School" - 846 people. Out of the total number of trained entrepreneurs, 750 received financial support to start their own business in the form of grants and preferential micro-loans.
Business infrastructure (BSC, PSC, MCC) provided 10.3 thousand consultations to more than 4 thousand business entities and individuals.
The Business Service Center provided 2,646 offline and 244 online services to 2,666 entrepreneurs as part of the service support.
Construction of new business facilities continued. So, in 2020, 447 projects were implemented in the field of trade and services for 29.2 billion tenge, with the creation of 1,840 permanent jobs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a stronger impact on the development of the e-commerce market this year. The forced closure of traditional format stores forced consumers to more actively resort to the services of online stores.
The main representatives of online trading in the domestic market are large Karaganda companies, such as Flip.kz -sales of consumer goods, Shop.kz (TM "White Wind") - sales of household appliances and computers, Wooppay-online payments, Mebels.kz-furniture.
Also, in the region this year, the project of the wholesale and distribution center "Global City" was implemented, where it is planned to introduce a system for providing Internet sales by the type of electronic exchange, in various volumes large, small wholesale and retail.
In order to develop e-commerce, NCE "Atameken" conducts training in online sales skills. Only in 2020, 846 students took the course, with a plan of 350.
The number of non-cash transactions increased 3.7 times. The share of non-cash payments increased from 21.8% to 78.1% in the total volume of trade.
Now e-commerce is one of the priority areas of the economy, which contributes to the transition to non-cash payments, reducing the volume of shadow trade and the overall growth of entrepreneurship.
The pandemic has also made adjustments in the tourism sector. Due to the closure of the borders, domestic tourism has been actively developed.
In total, in 2020, 17 projects in the tourism sector were implemented in the amount of 1008.5 million tenge, 101 jobs were created.
The construction of a business center and a hotel in Ulytau has been completed.
The average repair of 30 km of roads (174-204 km of A/d Ulytau-Boztumsyk-Malshybay-Satpayev) to Ulytau was carried out.
Thanks to the rapid transformation of the business to new realities and timely anti-crisis measures taken by the end of 2020, the number of active SMEs amounted to 90,196 units with an increase of 2.1% by 2019. New business entities were opened in the field of construction, agriculture, public catering (delivery), information and communication.
This made it possible to ensure an increase in the number of people employed in SMEs (as of October 1, 2020 – 245.8 thousand people) by 3%, production output by 6.7% (in January-September 2020 – 1,120.4 billion tenge).
In 2021, financial support will continue within the framework of the state programs "Business Roadmap 2025", "Development of productive employment and mass entrepreneurship for 2017-2021", "Economy of Simple things" and "Preferential lending to SMEs".
It is planned to open 258 new objects in the field of trade, tourism and services for the amount of investments of 16.1 billion tenge with the creation of 1486 jobs.
Together with the regional Chamber of Entrepreneurs, the work of the Commission on Consideration of Problematic Issues of Entrepreneurship will continue.
This year, it is planned to train 1,500 people under the "Bastau Business" project, as well as continue providing business process services for beginning entrepreneurs.
Work will continue to reduce the administrative burden on the business. For SMEs working in the industries affected by the pandemic, a retail tax of 3% is introduced, an exemption from VAT (until January 1, 2023), and the burden on the wage fund will be reduced.
On behalf of the Head of State, the moratorium on inspections and exemption from income taxes will continue for micro and small businesses.