Kazakhstan approves 9-percent pension raise for 2013

Kazakhstan government has signed a decree raising pensions by 9 percent starting from January, 2013, KazTAG reports citing a source in the government. “The government has signed a decree providing for a raise of retirement allowances by 9 percent starting from January 1, 2013,” the agency’s source said on Friday. According to the source, the document will be published in the official media “possibly in the new year editions”. The speaker also added that the raise is part of the social focus of the state budget and the size of the increase was set “in line with inflation adjustment”. According to Kazakhstan Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the minimum retirement allowance will grow from the current 17,491 tenge ($116) to 19,066 tenge ($127), with an average retirement allowance standing at 32,928 tenge ($281). According to the government, inflation rate makes 6-6.2 percent in 2012 in Kazakhstan. The number of standard retirement allowance recipients at the moment stands at 1 770 000 people. On January 1, 2012 all the retirement allowances were also increased by 9%. As of December 1, 2012 an average retirement allowance stands at 38,660 tenge ($257). There are 11 pension accumulation funds operating in Kazakhstan, with 10% of monthly salaries being transferred to a fund [chosen by each employee at his/her own discretion] on a mandatory basis. The number of individual pension savings accounts makes 8.4 million. As of November 1, 2012 the overall pension savings totaled $20.5 million.