ASTANA. August 26. KAZINFORM /Damir Baymanov/ Kazakhstan plans to increase the volume of coal production up to 150 mln tons a year till 2020. Vice Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan Duisenbai Turganov made it public at the meeting in the Ministry on August 26.

'In 2009 coal production made  around 94 mln tons, now we plan to increase it to 134 mln tons a year till 2015. The top of our plan is 2020 when we expect to produce around 150 mln tons of coal a year', D. Turganov said.

According to him the amount of investments to the sector is to be USD 2.5 mln.

At the time of today coal industry of Kazakhstan is the largest sector of economy of the country. According to the data of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies there are 33 major coal producing companies in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is ranked 8^th in the world in terms of coal deposits. Coal industry provides almost 80 percent of electricity needed for the country.