New business support program to be launched April 15

Productivity-2020 business support program will be launched in Kazakhstan on April 15, 2011, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Kazakhstan government press-service. “A new business support program called Productivity-2020 starts on April 15. It provides a whole range of tools: innovations grants; reimbursement of costs for engaging highly-qualified foreign engineers, design-engineering companies, purchasing licenses, technical documentation and technologies; long-term leasing of industrial equipment at very incentive rate,” said Vice-Prime-Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev at the 2nd mining forum MINEX Central Asia 2011. 2011 is going to be a pilot year for the program. Around 20 billion tenge ($137 million) will be allocated in 2011 for implementation of the program, said Issekeshev. “This program is the final one in the package of government programs that are currently being implemented: Business Road Map-2020, exporters support program, investors solicitation program, companies health improvement program. Currently the government offers around 100 business support tools under its industrial-innovation policy,” Vice-Prime-Minister Issekeshev said.