How Kazakhstan Is Strengthening Local Self-governance
The first ever rural governors’ (akim) meeting took place recently in Astana, the Kazakh capital.
In India we have long prided ourselves on local self governance and panchayat Raj, something which has been part of our polity since ancient times.
But we are not the only one to be encouraging such a national legacy.
Kazakhstan has also emerged a powerful country where President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is promoting a culture of local self governance and rural communities.
This was reflected in the first ever rural governors’ (akim) meeting in Astana, the Kazakh capital. About 80 percent of Kazakhstan ‘s Akims attended the meeting.The president said that the situation in rural areas remains a matter of strategic importance for Kazakhstan.
Addressing the meeting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said “After all, the roots of our people lie in the aul (village). Strong villages are the foundation of the well-being and prosperity of the entire country. Therefore, the requirements for rural district akims, and the tasks assigned to them, are of special significance,” he said.
Underscoring the important role that the akim plays , the head of the Kazakh state noted that “an akim is, above all, a public servant who directly interacts with society.”
“A rural akim must be a truly competent specialist, thoroughly familiar with both the specifics of the village itself and the aspirations of its residents,” he stressed.
Like in India, in Kazakhstan too the rural communities form the first tier of governance.
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