WEST KAZAKHSTAN REGION. 19.12.2009. KAZINFORM. /Kanat Kulshmanov/ Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov has taken part in the launch of Karachaganak - Uralsk gas pipeline today. "Head of our State Nursultan Nazarbayev gave very clear instruction to the Government and akim of the region to take this issue under the personal control. To date this task has been fulfilled. A new gas pipe supplying gas to 11 localities has been built through the territory of five regions. Potential of this pipeline is gasification of 146 localities or 100,000 people on the territory of western Kazakhstan", K. Massimov said at the ceremony. He noted that despite the world economic crisis West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan addressed a lot of social issues including reconstruction of schools, hospitals, stabilization of prices for fuels and food products. The gas pipeline project is implemented in accordance with the President's instruction made during his working trip to West Kazakhstan region in May 2005. In future the pipeline will enable to supply the region's consumers with 120 million cubic meters of purified natural gas per year. The cost of the project is USD 261 million.