Farmer's market, housing development, open budget: What was discussed at the meeting on the development of the Pavlodar region

Farmer's market, housing development, open budget: What was discussed at the meeting on the development of the Pavlodar region

The regional akimat summed up the results of the social and economic development of the region and identified the primary tasks for the future. The main document in the work of local authorities will be the Action Program for 2022, which is formed taking into account the proposals of the population of Pavlodar region.

At the beginning of the working meeting, Irina Nazarchuk, Head of the Department of Economics and Budget Planning, noted that last year the region's economy grew by 3.5%. Negative indicators were recorded only in the mining sector, where the volume of metal ore production decreased. At the same time, growth in industry amounted to 2.3%, in construction - 12.3%, in domestic trade - 1.5%. It was possible to attract 592 billion tenge of investments to the economy of Pavlodar region, which is 15.7% higher than last year.

- In 2022, the pace of economic development of the region is planned to increase to 103.4%, - said the head of the economic department. - To do this, it is necessary to ensure stable growth in all basic macro indicators. According to forecasts of sectoral departments, 471.3 thousand square meters of housing will be commissioned in the region and 793 billion tenge of investments will be attracted.

According to Irina Nazarchuk, since the collection of proposals for the further development of the Pavlodar region was announced in the region, about 2.4 thousand ideas and recommendations have been received by the local authorities. Now experts are systematizing them and working out specific measures for their implementation. For example, as part of the task of increasing the income of the population in the region, it is proposed to conduct a complete survey of households in the region in order to determine the sources and level of income of each family. After that, on the basis of the information received, it will be possible to carry out targeted work on employment, training or the provision of social support measures.

- Another significant problem is the debt burden of the population, - said the speaker. - According to the National Bank, last year the amount of loans issued to residents of our region increased by 32% compared to 2020. The borrowers include more than 220 thousand individuals or every second able-bodied resident of the region. Overdue debt at the beginning of the year amounted to more than 10 billion tenge, and 18,000 people have a delay of more than 90 days.

Akim of Pavlodar region Abylkair Skakov named low financial literacy of the population as one of the reasons for high debt load.

“Banks and microcredit organizations provide a lot of information on how to get a loan, but little is said about the risks of obtaining a loan,” he stressed. - Even if such information is given, it is not always clearly stated. It is necessary to conduct an analysis on the database of debtors of the credit bureau and develop effective measures to improve the financial literacy of the population.

As for curbing inflation, one of its mechanisms in the region should be the launch of a farmers' market in Pavlodar. Today, a schedule of construction and installation works has already been drawn up. They plan to present the market next fall. The akim demanded that the responsible specialists start negotiations with local producers and ensure the supply of agricultural products without intermediaries.

Separately, Abylkair Skakov focused on housing construction. He supported the housing rental program for socially vulnerable segments of the population being introduced at the republican level, but added that it would not completely solve the existing problem.

“Earlier, I have already instructed the akim of Pavlodar to search for options to increase the volume of housing construction in the regional center, where almost half of the population of our region lives,” the oblast akim said. - We need to find new growth points for housing construction, ensure the transition from infill development to complex and quarterly development, and introduce new standards for housing and the territory adjacent to it. I give you one month to prepare clear and final proposals.

Also, the head of the region demanded to make the process of budget formation transparent, but not in words, but in deeds. Abylkair Skakov proposed to start small - to publish a document and invite the population to determine the priority and expediency of the proposed spending from the treasury. Renewed public councils, which now exclude the participation of civil servants, can become a conductor in this work between the authorities and the population.

 

Press service of the akim of Pavlodar region

 

Photo by Valery Bugaev