We have big plans and we will cope with them - Rustem Khamitov

UFA, 20 April 2018. /Bashinform News Agency, Olga Murtazina/. The Conversation with the Head of Bashkortostan began with a discussion of the results of 2017.

"I will remind you that the republic showed good performance both in terms of industrial production and budget execution. First of all, the year was completed well in terms of financing – reserves have appeared. Revenues are approaching 200 billion rubles. This is a significant figure, few regions have such indicators", said Rustem Khamitov.

The Head of the Republic noted some unresolved tasks. "We are particularly concerned about the two issues. This is a tangible decline in investment volume. In 2017, it dropped by almost 70 billion rubles. This is due, inter alia, to a decrease in construction of new facilities at oil refineries and petrochemical enterprises. And there was a certain decline in business activity of other enterprises. The second figure, which causes our concern, was a decline in the birth rate. It decreased by 10 percent in 2017 compared to 2016. Last year, 49 thousand children were born, this is less than planned. Although, the number of deaths decreased. Total, the overall demographic indicator, although negative, showed a non-significant decrease - minus one thousand people", recalled the Head of the Region.

"The year of 2018 was started well. The first quarter ended with a surplus. In March, we received a good profit tax - Bashneft transferred 16.5 billion rubles. As a result, the total profit tax for March reached 33.5 billion rubles. In 2017, this figure was around 16-17 billion rubles.

I hope that the plans of 2018 - and they are quite substantial, with almost 20 billion rubles only of Republican targeted investment program, will be accomplished. This is an absolute record of the republic, which has never had such volumes. There are many constructions, all of them are important. Another 20 billion rubles will be directed for reconstruction, construction of roads, as well as their maintenance, which includes repairs. The programs are quite big, and we are sure that we will cope with them", Rustem Khamitov stressed.