Kazakhstan to allocate 84 bln tenge for internet in villages
By 2027, over thousand villages across the country are expected to be provided with internet access, El.kz reports citing a statement by Minister Zhaslan Madiyev.
The project, presented in the Mazhilis (the lower house of Parliament), aims to accelerate the digitalization of rural settlements.
The initiative is based on an agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which is currently undergoing the ratification process.
The total budget for the program is 84 billion tenge. Half of this amount will come from private sector participants, while the other half will be provided as a concessional loan from the World Bank.
Only telecom operators with at least 350 active subscribers and stable performance indicators will be eligible to participate. Each operator may receive a subsidy of up to 250 million tenge.
The project aims not only to expand the optical infrastructure but also to ensure direct internet access in the homes of rural residents.
According to the plan, over the next three years, high-speed internet will reach 1,123 settlements with a combined population of more than 2.3 million people.
As a result, approximately 1,000 new jobs are expected to be created, small businesses will be developed, and over 2 billion tenge in tax revenue will be generated.
Currently, Kazakhstan has 6,256 villages. Optical infrastructure has already been installed in 2,606 of them, while another 3,039 villages are being covered under an existing investment agreement with JSC «Kazakhtelecom».
However, in nearly 1,900 settlements, fiber-optic cables only reach the outskirts — and it is these areas that the new program targets.
In regions where laying fiber-optic lines is technically challenging or economically impractical, alternative technologies will be deployed.
These will primarily include satellite communication for schools, remote villages, and transportation facilities, including trains.
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