Astana,Kazakhstan, Nov. 7
Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend: Over 350 wells have been drilled around three industrial cities in Kazakhstan, Deputy Prime Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan Asset Issekeshev said at a briefing at the Central Communications Service for the President of Kazakhstan in Astana on Wednesday.
Kazgeologiya began exploration work in the area of the small towns and more than 350 wells have already been drilled," he said.
The minister said the exploration was carried out on methane and other minerals.
Kazakhstan has built 27 single-industry cities which are currently in poor condition. They are home to more than one and a half million people, or 16.8 per cent of the country's urban population.
Since early 2013, Kazakhstan has launched a state programme aimed at reviving these cities. It covers the period until 2020. About 10 billion tenge ($1-154.3 tenge) has been allocated from the state budget this year specifically for its implementation.
To implement it only in the current year it has been allocated $ 1-154, 3 tenge from the state budget.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan Nurlan Sauranbayev said that in the country the situation is more serious in single-industry cities with middle and low economic potential. These are Zhezkazgan , Satpayev, Zyryanovsk , Lissakovsk , Abay , Shakhtinsk , Karazhal , Saran , Zhitikara , Ridder, Serebriansk , Zhanatas and Arkalyk .
"Firstly the resource base is depleted there meaning that new enterprises are not fully up to speed causing downtime and loss," he said.
According to him, the situation is also deteriorating due to the depletion of ore being mined. In addition, enterprises are located far from sales markets and that severely affects the profitability of their operations. Today the government should give particular priority to three of these cities, namely Arkalyk, Serebriansk and Shahtinsk.
According to the ministry experts, there is now a key issue for the preservation of Arkalyk where there should be a search for promising new mineral deposits.
"Today we are raising the issue of conducting exploration work in the area of Arkalyk for diversification of its economy," Deputy Minister stressed earlier.