To increase investments in economy and build more housing: Radiy Khabirov on future tasks

UFA, 22 March 2019. /Bashinform News Agency, Gulfiya Akulova/ translated by Tatiana Aksyutina/.

Yesterday, the House of Government of Bashkortostan summed up socio-economic development of the republic in 2018 and outlined the priorities for the region development until 2024.

“In general, our key indicators are quite good”, noted Radiy Khabirov. “The economy grew by 1%. Gross regional product reached nearly 1.5 trillion rubles. The industry showed a plus of 3.4%, we can be proud of these numbers. We are among the top ten most industrialized regions. Foreign trade added 6.6%, exports grew by 2%. In general, agriculture is stable. Production volumes decreased by 1% - this is an insignificant seasonal decline. Retail trade turnover increased by 2.6% and approached 1 trillion rubles. For the first time in 25 years, unemployment has fallen below 5% - this is also an important fact”.

According to the head of the region, a slowdown in the development of the construction industry and the investment sector is hampering the development of the republic.

As noted by the Interim Deputy Prime Minister - Chief of Staff of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan Ilshat Tazhitdinov, according to the results of 2018, the region did not fulfill the plan for the construction and commissioning of housing, investments, agriculture, the real disposable money incomes of the population. The pace of construction fell by 7% and the investment sector by 7.5%. According to the guidelines of the federal government, the republic faces the task of at least doubling the current volume of investments in the economy by 2024. Now it is 270 billion rubles. A target is also indicated - to build at least 3.7 million sq. m of housing annually. Currently, this figure is 2.3 million square meters. Radiy Khabirov stressed that the tasks were ambitious but quite achievable.

In the first two months of this year, housing construction has grown by almost 40%. “We should adhere to that pace,” said the Acting Head of the region.

In 2018, the budget of the republic received 199.6 billion rubles in tax and non-tax revenues. Compared with 2017, revenues increased by 34.3 billion rubles or 20%, Ilshat Tazhitdinov reported. Total revenues of the consolidated budget of the republic amounted to 239.9 billion rubles, expenses for 2018 were executed in the amount of 215.3 billion rubles, or 93% of the annual plan.

“Last year, 65.4 billion rubles of federal funds were attracted for the development of the economy and the social sphere, which is 1.5 billion rubles more than in 2017. The republic's foreign trade turnover amounted to 5.4 billion US dollars, an increase of 6.6%. It was not managed to reach the target values , exports grew by 2% and amounted to 4.4 billion dollars”, said the Interim Deputy Prime Minister.

As reported by the Interim Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Agriculture Ilshat Fazrakhmanov, in 2018, the Republic of Bashkortostan retained its leading position in the production of milk, beef, honey, koumiss, livestock of horses, and cattle. In general, in terms of the agricultural output, Bashkiria is in the top seven regions of the country and ranks second in the Volga Federal District.

The demographic situation in the republic is alarming. As reported earlier by the Bashinform News Agency, in the past year by 2 266 (or 4%) children were born less than in 2017 in Bashkiria.

According to the Interim Deputy Prime Minister Lenara Ivanova, in 2018 out of 39 indicators of the socio-economic development of the region, 26 of the planned values were met, 9 of which were not achieved.