Key aspects of the new program were presented at the First International Conference on the Development of Light Industry with the participation of government representatives, NCE RK “Atameken”, the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Astana, and enterprises of the domestic light industry. Opening the event, the deputy chairman of the Committee for Industrial Development and Industrial Safety of MID RK Timur Nurashev said that today there are almost a thousand light industry enterprises in Kazakhstan and 95% of them are small-scale production, where female labor is mainly involved. He noted that state support is of great importance for the development of the industry. As of 1^st of January 2017, 35 projects worth 5 billion tenge were supported within the framework of the Business Roadmap program. The rendered state aid contributes to the modernization of existing light industry enterprises, the expansion of their product range, as well as the implementation of new projects and exports.

"The share in the total volume of industrial production is insignificant - only 0.3%, in the processing industry - 0.9%. Nevertheless, the industry is very important, as it has a great social importance and provides the first necessary human needs", - said Timur Nurashev. Chairman of the Manufacturing Industry Committee of NCE RK "Atameken" Vladimir Bobrov noted that the development of manufacturing, including light industry, is one of the important priorities for the development of the country in the coming years. There are two consortiums operating in the country that unite 40 enterprises. The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs continues to work in this direction, since its main task is to consolidate the country's business. At the same time, he did not deny the problems that exist in this sphere. Among them, underload capacity, dependence on state defense order and order of quasi-public sector, a shortage of working capital, poor use of market-based tools for promotion of products.

"The National Council constantly works on solving problems. Efforts of Atameken initiated introduction of legislation, forums and exhibitions are organized, legal protection of enterprises is provided. However, I think it is necessary to work together with the Government to develop a long-term state program for the development of the industry. We need to understand what we want to achieve in the light industry and how and, most importantly, we must provide for the solution of specific problems in this program, as well as measures of state support", - said Vladimir Bobrov. This vision in the framework of the Roadmap for the development of light industry until 2021 was presented by Bakhyt Moldabaeva, coordinator of design works of the Union of Manufacturers of Light Industry of Kazakhstan. "The Union of Manufacturers of Light Industry Products of Kazakhstan and the consortium "Zhasampaz" have developed a draft Roadmap for the industry that will become a working program for domestic producers, including the whole range of activities. The goal of the program is to increase the contribution of light industry to GDP by substituting imports, developing domestic demand and implementing export potential, securing strategically important sectors with textile products, preserving and supporting employment in the industry by creating jobs with high labor productivity. The operator of the program is the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Atameken, the Union of Light Industry Producers of Kazakhstan and the consortium of domestic producers "Zhasampaz". The program is designed for two stages - from 2017 to 2018 and from 2019 to 2021", - Bakhyt Moldabayeva said. The map includes three directions. The first is raw materials, which provides for the development of a domestic raw material base for the development of the production of natural cotton fabrics, blended fabrics, knitwear, and leather. And also the implementation of investment projects for the production of materials of domestic production, aimed at creating competitive products on the terms of their own investment, public-private partnership. "The second direction is the technological modernization of the industry. It will be aimed at the growth of modern technological redistribution and automated production management systems by opening, expanding, reanimating idle enterprises. And the third direction is the development of the legal field in support of light industry", - the representative of the Union said. The latter includes the improvement of technical regulation aimed at updating the list of national non-governmental standards for light industry products and developing new ones in line with international norms and requirements, improving control over product quality, and promoting products in the domestic and foreign markets.

According to the plans, the Road Map will help increase the share of Kazakhstani content in some products by 2018 to 40%, and by 2021 to 60%. Additionally, 861 jobs will be created first, and then another one thousand will be created. By 2021, it is planned that the share of light industry in GDP will be more than 1%, Kazakhstan schoolchildren will be provided with the school uniforms made in Kazakhstan by 80%. Tax revenues to the budget from domestic producers of light industry will increase by 30%. To implement the first stage of the Roadmap it is envisaged to invest 7.5 billion tenge, the second - about 14 billion tenge. Within the framework of the conference, the Director of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Astana Gani Tasmaganbetov was awarded the Letter of Gratitude from the Union of Light Industry Manufacturers of the Republic of Kazakhstan for their contribution to the development of Kazakhstan's light industry.