The regional contribution of Kyzylorda region to gross domestic product of Kazakhstan for 2016 was 2.7%. According to preliminary data of the Statistics Department of Kyzylorda region for 2016, the region's GDP amounted to 1.24 trillion tenge. In the GRP of the region, the share of small and medium businesses is only 13%, which is 10% lower than the average for Kazakhstan. And what was the business situation of the region in 2017? This was told by the director of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kyzylorda region Galymbek Zhaksylykov.

- Galymbek Zhaksylykovich, has the number of small and medium-sized businesses increased compared to last year? What are the indicators?

- As of 1^st of November 2017, the number of SMEs in the Kyzylorda region was 49,471. Compared to the previous year, the growth rate was 103.9%, and compared to the beginning of 2017 - 103.8%. The number of active SMEs - 37,336 units, compared to last year increased by 7.1%. Of these, legal entities - 4842 units, individual entrepreneurs - 27142 units, farms - 4952 units. The number of employees in small and medium businesses is 83,068 people.

- What factors have influenced such growth?

- The reason for this is the widespread propaganda of state programs of support and development of entrepreneurship. Within the framework of the program for the development of productive employment and mass entrepreneurship, the Bastau Business project is implemented and the population of the region has a great desire to participate in this program and to receive training. Citizens wishing to do business, study the basics of entrepreneurship, protect their projects and receive loans at low interest rates. In general, the region has all the necessary conditions for the comprehensive development of entrepreneurship, and people want to do business, for this they have ideas and profitable business projects.

- The Bastau Business project is very successful in the republic, what are the priority areas for this project in Kyzylorda region?

- The "Bastau Business" project in the current year was launched in pilot mode in 5 districts of our region: Aral, Kazalinsk, Karmakshinsky, Shiely and Zhanakorgan. In these areas 937 people for a month passed training and received knowledge. For residents of the districts, the benefit of this project is that specially trained business-trainers are allocated for each district, i.е. citizens wishing to gain knowledge in the framework of the project had the opportunity to study not in the regional center, but directly in their districts. Of these, 532 people have defended their projects for a total of 2 billion 100 million KZT.

Currently, 221 projects for a total of 673.5 million KZT have been financed by the Kyzylorda regional investment center and Kyzylorda branch of JSC "Fund for Financial Support of Agriculture". Most of the projects are related to agriculture, namely the management and development of livestock. The remaining projects are related to the provision of services to the public.

- What works are carried out to unite representatives of the business community in the association? How are things in this area?

- And works are carried out in this area. At the moment, the Association of "Processors and rice producers" operates in the region, which protect the interests of rice farmers in the region, the association "Development of local content in the Kyzylorda region", which unites local producers, the association of builders of the region. Since the current year, on the initiative of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs, the tourist association "Kyzylorda" has resumed its activities. The Chamber together with the association developed a road map for the development of tourism in the Kyzylorda region, as well as a guidebook intended for tourists of the region.

- What are your plans for the next year?

- There are enough plans. Among them I want to mention those that relate to the development of mass entrepreneurship. We have already begun to hold meetings not only with the entrepreneurs of the districts, but we also bypass all the aul districts and meet with the villagers. The staff members of the Chamber were divided into three groups, we bypassed 73 auls and met with more than 2,000 residents. The goal is to ensure the availability of information to rural residents and the call to do business. And next year we want to continue this work. If possible, I would like to cover every person in each aul. In addition, if the Bastau Business project was piloted in only 5 districts this year, the next two years will be included in the project. Because the program aroused interest and has a huge demand on the part of the population.

- With what issues do people most often address to the Chamber of Entrepreneurs?

- As you already know, in Kyzylorda there is a full-size House of Entrepreneurs. In the House of Entrepreneurs there are all institutes for the support of entrepreneurs: the Chamber of Entrepreneurs, the regional department of entrepreneurship and tourism, the Regional Center for Public-Private Partnership, the Center for Project Examination, the State Utility Enterprise, the microfinance organization, LLP Regional Investment Center "Kyzylorda", the regional branch of JSC "Fund for Financial Support of Agriculture", the Public Service Center, the prosecutor's office.

The House of Entrepreneurs, today serves as a "supermarket" for business representatives. Here all conditions are created for entrepreneurs to implement their business ideas and undertakings. A person who has come to the House of Entrepreneurs with his business idea can receive all kinds of state support, such as consultations, registration of the business entity, preparation of a business plan, training, financing of the project and project support. Since the current year, to facilitate the procedures for obtaining the necessary technical conditions and licensing documents for electricity, water supply and gas supply, the Center for Entrepreneurship Service has started its activity. It should be noted that until this time, it took 1.5-2 months to receive these services. Now the entrepreneur has the opportunity to receive the necessary services in this direction for 5 days. Currently, work is underway to translate these types of services into electronic format. As a result, each entrepreneur will be able to receive services without leaving home or office within 3 days. As a result, the number of Kyzylorda citizens increased, which began to come to the House of Entrepreneurs. For example, for 12 months, 12,354 consultations were received in the Service Centers of entrepreneurs of the city and districts. And the ranks of those who received service in 8 directions within the framework of the Business Road Map 2020 program exceeded the plan and amounted to 198.5 percent.

"The project "Business Advisor" of the component "Business School" has a special demand. In the current year, we planned 800 people, but due to the increased demand for 10 months, 1,460 people upgraded their skills. The tool "Business Growth" also has a demand. In this direction, the plan was fulfilled by 120 percent.

- Except for the above, are there any other effective works that the Chamber has achieved? If there is, tell us about them.

- You can say about the sphere of land relations. For several years, entrepreneurs have expressed their dissatisfaction with regard to the inaccessibility of information about auctions on land for business purposes. Starting from this year, for the first time in the republic, it was decided to conduct auctions for land plots to conduct business on the site of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs. The first event was held recently, in November this year. This step has a positive resonance among entrepreneurs.

- Galymbek Zhaksylykovich thank you for the conversation.