Mikhail Mishustin: “We will discuss another package of measures to strengthen the economy under the pressure of the sanctions. It will include supporting the construction industry, industrial projects, transport, housing and utilities, the processing of solid household waste, as well as additional support for the regions. We expect that these proposals will help these industries to quickly adapt to the new conditions, rebuild added value chains and resume development.”
Mikhail Mishustin’s opening remarks:
Meeting of the Presidium of the Government Commission to Increase the Sustainability of the Russian Economy under the Sanctions
Good afternoon, colleagues.
The Government continues to take action to increase the stability of our economy amidst the sanctions. An additional package of measures has been approved and included in the priority action plan.
I will start with the measures to support industry. The President emphasised their importance.
In the construction industry, we are postponing the transition to the resource index pricing method, the method based on the current cost of goods on the market, with respect to fulfilling state contracts, until 1 January 2023. This method is becoming difficult to implement as many chains are disrupted. We will give businesses time to find new suppliers and subcontractors and rebuild their processes.
We will lower the tax burden on network companies involved in rerouting engineering networks under state contracts, by clarifying the profit tax base formula. This will exempt them from extra taxes on the compensation they received from the federal budget for relocating such facilities.
Another area of focus is developing our own livestock base in the agriculture industry. At a recent meeting, the President stressed that clear import substitution benchmarks must be set and pursued vigorously. We have all the necessary resources to achieve that.
Judging from many performance indicators, agriculture production in Russia has long ago reached self-sufficiency and has allowed for exports. I spoke about this in great detail in the Government Report to the State Duma.
However, we are still to achieve similar levels when
it comes to our livestock breeding potential. Therefore, the Government will support
construction of a large livestock breeding facility that will be scaling up our
domestic poultry resources. We will allocate 5 billion roubles for this
project. This solution will ensure that Russian poultry processing plants have
a sufficient supply of chicks.
We will also be supporting the tourism industry. We will allocate extra funding to reimburse buyers for part of their voucher costs. Very many people want to use this programme. While reporting to the State Duma last week, I noted that the Government had decided to extend the programme until 15 April. Consequently, at least 1.5 million more Russian citizens will be able to buy vouchers and spend their holidays in Russia.
We will allocate 3.5 billion roubles for this measure.
Two other measures are linked with science and education. Today, it is important to train skilled specialists for the economy. We also discussed this matter in our report to the State Duma when replying to the deputies’ questions.
We will stipulate more free budgetary openings for MA students specialising in high-priority disciplines in science and technology development; we will set aside almost 4.5 billion roubles more for this purpose.
As per the President’s instructions, we will expand the 2022 programme to provide housing certificates for young researchers. This support will total 1 billion roubles and will help increase the number of homeowners in this category.
Over 300 promising specialists will be able to obtain housing certificates. We will relieve them of the need to waste time and effort on getting their own housing. They will be able to focus on research projects and develop new technologies and new goods and products.
Colleagues, principled decisions have been made on all these matters. Right now, we need to quickly draft legal motions and regulatory documents, like those for the earlier measures.
A resolution to allocate 35 billion roubles for soft loans to housing construction companies has been signed. In the current situation, the state support will make it possible to reduce construction delays, and the banks issuing these loans will face fewer problem loans.
Land plots will be allotted under much simpler procedures. Individuals and legal entities will be able to lease property without prior tenders, provided that they want to use them for launching import-substitution projects.
Russian citizens will also be able to buy out state-owned land plots, land they lease for farming, horticultural or vegetable crops, without prior tenders.
Another resolution aims to reduce the administrative load on businesses and individuals. It extends Russian national driving licenses, due to expire in the next two years, for a period of three years.
We will extend certain sanitary-epidemiological restrictions for another 12 months.
Today, we will review one more set of measures for strengthening the national economy as pressure from the sanctions continues to mount. These measures include support for the construction industry, industrial projects, transport, the housing and utilities sector, processing solid household waste, as well as additional support for the regions.
Hopefully, all these proposals will help the relevant sectors adapt more quickly to the new conditions, to restructure value-added manufacturing chains and to resume their development.
