Social assistance to be provided under new principles

Kazakhstan plans to change its approach to social assistance from next year. Deputies of the Kurultai discussed the new principles while approving the draft republican budget for the next three years in first reading. Under the changes, state support will go only to those who truly need it. The government says the decision will free up hundreds of billions of tenge for other priority tasks.

Deputy Natalya Godunova asked Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov how the government plans to reduce the budget deficit. The draft three-year budget raises the 2027 deficit to 4.6 trillion tenge, while it is planned to be cut to one trillion by 2029. Bektenov said reducing the deficit requires higher budget revenues and optimised spending. He added that social assistance will now be assigned based on citizens' real financial situation, making support more targeted.

Bektenov said the change would save serious state funds: 700 billion tenge in 2027 alone and nearly 2.5 trillion over three years. The government has cut planned spending by 6.7 trillion tenge in preparing next year's budget and reallocated 360 billion tenge when adjusting this year's budget. Officials expect non-oil sectors to make the main contribution to growth. The government forecasts GDP growth of over 5% a year over the next three years, with inflation falling to 6–8%.