Rustam Minnikhanov: “Kazan has shown positive results in 2016”

(KZN.RU, February 25, Alsu Safina). Kazan has shown positive results, implemented a number of interesting initiatives in 2016, said Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, today at the XIII session of the Kazan City Duma. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, reported on the results of the past year in the economic, social, construction and other fields. The report of the head of the city affected all branches of municipal services, including health, housing and utilities, education and others.

Reporting on the main economic indicators of the last year, Ilsur Metshin said that the industrial production index was 100.3% last year. The gross territorial product has exceeded 632 billion rubles, according to preliminary estimates. The volume of investments in the economy is estimated at 174 billion rubles.

According to the Mayor, a positive trend is due to increasing of capacity flagships of the city, as well as an increase in the volume of production of the military-industrial complex enterprises. Increased production of fuel and energy resources, electronic and optical equipment, pulp and paper production is observed. Chemical production and manufacture of rubber and plastic products demonstrates a stable growth. Manufacture of machinery and equipment is the most rapidly developing in the mechanical engineering sector.

Ilsur Metshin said that the average monthly wage at large and medium organizations of the city was 37.8 thousand rubles, the growth rate is at the level of 108.5%. Real wages increased by 2.8%. The unemployment rate fell to 0.4%, the number of registered unemployed is 4426 people.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that 2016 was difficult but quite successful for Tatarstan. “Much is being done in the capital”, said the President. “In general, the work that we carry out today is possible thanks to the fact that the republic has a huge economic potential”. Last year, the volume of gross regional product amounted to 1 trillion 944 billion rubles, the volume of commodity output - 1 trillion 966 billion rubles, investments in fixed assets amounted to about 640-650 billion rubles. “This allows us to solve a number of problems for many past years”, said the head of the republic.

Rustam Minnikhanov paid attention to the fact that many projects are frozen at the federal level, while in Tatarstan, including in Kazan, they managed to continue the implementation of projects. In addition, there are new ones. In particular, there is a program, aimed at supporting of gardenings. According to the President, this program is important both for the residents of the republic's capital and other cities, because many Tatarstan residents are actively engaged in gardening in summer.

After the report, deputies of the Kazan city Duma asked their questions. One of the questions concerned the repair of driveways, and how much the amount of work increased this year. Ilsur Metshin stressed that it is important to maintain the rate. “We're used to the fact that each year the President decides at our request, and 500 million rubles are allocated for the yards. This year I was a member of Russian forum of mayors, where it’s been said that the entire country is given 20 billion rubles for roads and yards, and the project has just started. With the support of the President of the RT, we brought up to standard 48% of the yards in 6 years, changes have affected 340 thousand residents of Kazan”, marked I. Metshin.

According to I. Metshin, in 2016 165 houses totaling 1.45 billion rubles were repaired. 2191 houses (more than 40% of the housing stock of the city) were renovated, and more than 30% of all lifts were replaced over the 9 years of the overhaul program.

As for improvement of adjacent territories, 500 million rubles were allocated for these purposes from the republican budget. 234 adjoining areas and 22 driveways with total area of over 240 thousand square meters were repaired.

The President said that it is impossible to solve all problems at once, and highlighted the overhaul program and improvement of adjacent territories. “I have instructed colleagues to do the program, including project types, where in addition to work on the replacement of the asphalt pavement and landscaping, there were other components where people can gather, rest, play sports”, said R. Minnikhanov.

Niyaz Gafiyatullin, the chairman of the permanent commission for education, culture and national issues, drew attention to the congestion of the city's schools. I. Metshin noted that the number of first-graders will increase by 20% in 2020. “Kazan is the city where the largest number of children enrolled in the second shift in the republic. Two schools are already under construction, and two more will be built in the near future”, said the Mayor. “We are in contact with Engel Fattakhov, the Vice-Premier and the Minister of Education and Science of the RT, and Irek Faizullin, the Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing of the RT, and there is mutual understanding. Unfortunately, the federal program is slightly smaller in volume than we expected”.

Ruslan Minabutdinov, the deputy of the Pavlyuhinsky constituency, raised question about wages of children's sports coaches, which receive only 10-19 thousand in Kazan. This is considerably less than in other Russian cities: Ufa - 25 thousand rubles, Ekaterinburg - 39 thousand rubles, Ulyanovsk - 23 thousand rubles. “A lot of good coaches and our young athletes who show the results, go to other regions”, he said. I. Metshin marked that this issue, as well as the experience of other cities, requires further study.

Taisa Chernova, the deputy of the Amirhanovsky constituency, asked the Mayor about the fate of the country camps, which are 50 years old and in poor condition and require major repairs. Taisa Chernova noted that the funds, which allocated annually for repairs, are not enough. Ilsur Metshin noted that they managed to keep the camps, and they were not given to private hands. The Mayor called the camp “Zarechie” first swallow in this issue, where an all-weather dining room and a dormitory were made on the funds, allocated by the President of the RT. I. Metshin marked that systematic work will be conducted in this regard.

“Overall, the results are positive, much has been done”, said the President of Tatarstan, summing up. “Expectations of the population are even more. The more we work, the more it will be necessary to add the speed”.

“Kazan has changed, tourists come to us. We need to think about the tourist attractions, transport logistics, and security. All these issues are addressed comprehensively. There is a strong team, and there is no doubt that you will cope with the intended objectives, and support of the republic will be provided to you”, said R. Minnikhanov.