Komsomolskaya Pravda: “People living in trailers to receive housing”
Putin criticises governor for poor knowledge of region's economic statistics.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has demonstrated a sound knowledge of the pace of economic development in the regions at a meeting with Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area's Governor Natalya Komarova in Novo-Ogaryovo on Monday.
"What do you think about the area's performance?" he asked.
"If we assess the main indicators of the autonomous area's 2011 socio-economic development, then they are all in the black," the governor said.
"Are all of them in the black?" Putin wondered out loud, while inspecting the charts.
"The budget is," Komarova responded less confidently.
"And what about industrial production?" he asked.
"Industrial production also increased but, unfortunately, not as fast as in the country as a whole," the governor said.
"How did it increase? To the best of my knowledge, it went down," Putin said looking at Komarova closely.Consequently, it became evident that industrial production actually fell in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, which is also known as "Yugra".
"Yes, yes, the growth rates are lower," the governor said. "You are right! Production volumes are higher, but growth rates are lower. Yes, this is true."
Komarova reported that doctors and teachers receive higher salaries than the national average, but there are problems with resettling people from rundown and dilapidated housing, which totals 2 million square metres.
"This is such a wealthy region, and you have so much dilapidated housing stock. You must rehouse the tenants," Putin said.
"Yes, we must rehome 50,000 tenants, plus people from 10,000 trailers," the governor said.
"Trailers are a totally unregistered element," the prime minister said. "You know, your region is not the only one with such people, those who are not covered by any of the programmes. They have to be incorporated into these programmes again."
By Andrei Lvov
