After a meeting with representatives of the coal industry, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not satisfied with the situation in the industry. This was stated by spokesman for the head of state Dmitry Peskov.

“The president was very dissatisfied and considered the situation that the meeting participants, in particular trade unions, told him unacceptable. We are talking about a system of remuneration when workers performing the same work receive different salaries, ”said Peskov.

He added that Putin’s discontent caused a number of other points. To solve the identified problems in the industry, he signed a list of instructions, which was published on the Kremlin website.

Improving working conditions

So, the president ordered the Russian government to amend the legislation, prepared with the participation of the Russian independent coal industry workers union. They relate to improving working conditions. In particular, we are talking about improving the organization of medical examinations for workers, especially for those who are engaged in underground work. The procedure for the rehabilitation of those who work in harmful and / or dangerous conditions must also be determined.

In addition, Vladimir Putin instructed to establish the features of a special assessment of the working conditions of miners engaged in underground work. In particular, we are talking about assessing the parameters of the microclimate, the light medium and ionizing radiation.

In addition, the instructions of the head of state provide for the approval of early retirement benefits for all coal workers. It is also proposed to establish “the identity of the professions of these workers, taking into account the provisions of professional standards and qualification manuals”. In this case, it is prescribed to pay special attention to the masters of the drilling rig, drill masters, electric locomotive drivers and those working on the monorail.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and chairman of the Russian Independent Coal Workers Union, Ivan Mokhnachuk, have been appointed responsible for the execution of instructions.

Industry development

In addition, the president gave instructions regarding the coal industry as a whole. Thus, the FSB of Russia should assist the government in synchronizing "plans for the development of international checkpoints, as well as road and rail access to them with coal export plans."

The President obliged the Russian Emergencies Ministry to develop a plan for the remediation of spent coal deposits.

The Cabinet was also instructed by the end of October to “submit proposals on adjusting the procedure for calculating the tax on mining of minerals in relation to coal”. And the government will have to work out the issue of budget allocations for the resettlement of residents of houses located in the territories of liquidated mines.

The presidential list also contains instructions for the Russian Ministry of Energy. When preparing a long-term program for the development of the coal industry, the department was recommended to envisage "measures for the deep processing of coal in the regions of its extraction." Particular attention should be paid to the potential for the production of liquefied gases and hydrogen from coal.

Along with the above departments, the Government of the Komi Republic, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Education received instructions.

Great prospects

Recall that Vladimir Putin met with representatives of the coal industry on August 22. During the conversation, he noted the good potential of the industry.

“For three centuries, the coal industry has made a huge contribution to the development of our country and today it demonstrates good coal production indicators, strong export potential, and great growth prospects in new deposits, including in Siberia and the Far East,” the president said.

Then he emphasized the need for the development of logistics and transport infrastructure, among which he named the Baikal-Amur Railway (BAM), the Trans-Siberian Railway and the capacity of seaports in the east and west of Russia.

  • Author: “Mining growth should be combined with the active introduction of modern technologies”: Putin on Russia's coal industry

And Putin linked the growth of coal production in the country with the introduction of new technologies and investments in the creation of reliable security systems. “And of course, you need to pay special attention to environmental issues. Chasing millions of tons of production to the detriment of nature is dangerous, which means it’s unacceptable, ”he said.

Note that in 2018, according to the Federal Customs Service, Russia's export of coal in physical terms increased by 10% compared to 2017 - up to 199.47 million tons. In currency terms, exports grew by 25.9% to $ 17.03 billion.