Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to ensure a rate of preferential mortgage rate of 2% in the Far East. This is stated on the Kremlin website. We are talking about loans for the purchase of apartments in new buildings, or for the construction of their own housing.

The benefits themselves will be valid until January 1, 2025 for all regions included in the Far Eastern Federal District - Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Republic of Yakutia, Buryatia, Amur, Kamchatka, Magadan and Sakhalin Regions, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Chukotka Autonomous Region.

For these purposes, money will be allocated from the state program "Socio-economic development of the Far Eastern Federal District" and the joint stock company "Development Fund of the Far East and the Baikal Region". The government will have to provide amendments to the legislation until December 15 of this year.

This order was given following the results of the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (WEF), held on September 5. It was devoted to the development of the region.

“By concentrating resources and organizing this work step by step administratively, we will increase efforts. Achieving goals, we set ourselves new tasks, strive to achieve more. Over the past decade and a half, we have already managed to create the conditions for the Far East to enter the path of rapid growth, ”said the President of Russia.

Putin emphasized that much remains to be done to further develop the region.

  • Mazda Sollers car assembly line, which launched mass production of the Mazda CX-9 crossover in Vladivostok
  • RIA News
  • © Vitaliy Ankov

For teachers and doctors

Among other instructions adopted by the WEF, there is also an increase in payments under the Zemsky Doctor and Zemsky Teacher programs to 200%. Recall that these programs involve payouts in the amount of 1 million rubles for those teachers and doctors (as well as 500 thousand rubles for paramedics) who move to work in villages, towns or cities with a population of less than 50 thousand rubles.

“To ensure the introduction of an additional increase factor to lump-sum compensation payments to the participants of the Zemsky Doctor and Zemsky Teacher programs who have arrived (moved) to work in rural settlements, or workers' settlements, or urban-type settlements located on the territory of the Far Eastern Federal District, based on from an increase in the size of these payments to 200%, ”the order says.

The government will have to fulfill this order before December 1 of this year.

Also, to support the regional healthcare system, the government, together with the administration of the Primorsky Territory, Putin ordered to submit projects to create a medical cluster. It should ensure the development of health innovation. A report with these proposals should be submitted before January 15.

Support for education and cultural institutions

Among other measures of social support that the president instructed to work out is an increase in the quota of residents of the Far East who are entitled to targeted education at universities at the expense of the budget. However, this applies to those programs for which there is a shortage of personnel in the region. The government will have to execute this order before December 1.

Another presidential assignment concerns assistance to cultural institutions in the Far Eastern Federal District. Until November 15, the government will have to take measures to update their material and technical base.

“Take measures to update the material and technical base of cultural institutions in the Far Eastern Federal District, including museums, theaters and libraries, paying particular attention to small towns and rural areas,” the website said.

Development of priority sectors

Some of the instructions can be divided into a group that stimulates the development of promising sectors of the economy of the Far East. So, until March 1, 2020, the government should offer options for creating a fund that will support the development of high-tech projects in the district. At the same time, existing development institutions and financial organizations should be taken into account.

A separate order concerns the development of eco-tourism in the Far East. The Cabinet will submit relevant proposals in the report by December 1.

“To submit proposals on attracting investors to the development of eco-tourism in the Far Eastern Federal District with strict observance of the regime of specially protected natural territories,” the order says.

At the same time, the head of state instructed to enter data on the boundaries of the specially protected territories of the okrug (including Baikal) into the Unified State Register of Real Estate. This must be done before July 1, 2021.

Putin also instructed the government to make air transport within the Far Eastern Federal District more accessible to local residents, as well as expand their access to international flights.

  • Jack London Lake. Magadan Region
  • © Wikimedia Commons

Faster growth

It should be noted that the state program for the Far East operating in Russia should ensure the development of the region at a rate higher than the national average. It is valid from 2014 to 2025. This year, about 48 billion rubles were allocated for it, and in 2020, almost 54 billion rubles have already been allocated by the budget.

In subsequent years, the amount will be slightly lower, on average, about 47 billion rubles. As a result of the program, more than 106 thousand jobs should be created, and the population should grow to 8.7 million people. A significant increase in investment and tax revenue should also be ensured.

At the same time, the region's economy in 2018, compared to 2017, grew by 6.3%, according to a study by the international consulting company Deloitte, which is available to RIA Novosti. Note that the total GDP of Russia over the same period increased by 2.3%.

At the same time, from 2010 to 2016, the GRP of the Far Eastern Federal District grew by an average of 1.8%, which is below the average for Russia of 2.3%.