Almaty Akim instructed to simplify tax reporting for business

A special visiting session of Kazakhstan government is scheduled to be held in Almaty in May 2011, Almaty administration's press-service reports. The meeting is intended to discuss implementation of several city projects. Other topics on the agenda are equity construction, gasification, subway construction, industrial-innovative development, Business road map-2020 and other issues. Almaty Akim (Mayor) Akhmetzhan Yessimov instructed all city facilities to prepare all the needed documents, including suggestions on changes in taxation for individual entrepreneurs. As per the Akim, 43 thousand of individual entrepreneurs of Almaty are awaiting simplification of tax reporting. Currently individual entrepreneurs submit their reports four times a year. Everyone would benefit if the businessmen are allowed to submit the reports only once a year. “The most important is that reduction and simplification of tax reporting will help legalize the small businesses that are currently in the shade. The tax database will shorten: this will ease the load on tax departments and give more time for tax inspectors. These issues have to be discussed at the meeting of Kazakhstan government,” said Yessimov. Almaty Akim instructed to continue work to tackle illegal inspections of small and medium businesses and corruption. He pointed out the necessity to step up the work to remove administrative barriers and shorten the list of business activities that require licenses and permits. He reminded that President Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed to implement risk management systems and cut inspections. Yessimov said that implementation of the government-sponsored industrial program will provide favorable conditions for development of small and medium business. Kazakhstan president outlined major tasks for the Government. “This year's annual GDP growth should be at least 7%. A new task for the Government and regional governors is to ensure another 3% of growth through intensive development of non-extraction industries and S&MBs;,” Nazarbayev emphasized.