Officials in southern Kazakhstan have called a halt to a campaign in which local people were encouraged to boost local revenues by donating their gold jewellery and other valuables.

The six-month campaign in Almaty region netted about three hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of valuables which were deposited in local banks.

Correspondents say doctors, teachers and other public sector employees have complained they were forced to make contributions.

A spokesman for the regional council told the BBC that the campaign had been ill-judged and that everyone who had made donations was now entitled to claim them back.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service