OREANDA-NEWS. April 24, 2014. Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has held a meeting on the state water resources management program’s issues.

Minister of Environment and Water Resources Nurlan Kapparov congratulated the participants with the approval of the state water resources management program.

According to him public organs, non-governmental and academic organizations, known Kazakhstani scientists, experts in the fields of agriculture, Water Design Institutes, international consulting companies participated in developing the program.

During its development many analytical materials such as schemes of complex use and protection of water resources, state water cadastre materials, as well as data of the monograph "Water Resources of Kazakhstan" (Geography Institute of national scientists) have been used.

The program was approved on 4 April 2014 by the Presidential Decree; its main purpose is to ensure water security in Kazakhstan by improving the efficiency of water management.

It is planned to achieve savings of more than 9 cubic kilometers of water per year as a result of program’s measures to modernize and develop water economy infrastructure, to improve water use efficiency. The first 2.6 cubic kilometers will be saved as a result of self-sustaining measures without increasing water tariffs - introduction of water saving technologies such as drip irrigation, overhead irrigation, discrete irrigation. In addition, according to the Ministry by 2020 water consumption per unit of GDP will be reduced by 33% from the level in 2012.

Following the meeting, Minister of Environment and Water Resources Mr. Kapparov put personal responsibility for the execution of the program to the Chairman of the Committee on Water Resources Islam Abishev.

In turn I. Abishev stressed political, social and economic importance of this program.