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.