Vitebsk Oblast beats five-year target for industrial growth in small towns

VITEBSK, 27 May (BelTA) – The Vitebsk Oblast beat the targets for industrial output growth, new small companies and jobs which were set out in the national comprehensive program to develop regions, small and medium-sized towns for 2007-2010, first deputy chairman of the economy committee of the oblast executive committee Svyatoslav Zarovsky told a session of the Vitebsk oblast executive committee. The data for January-March 2010 included, the industrial growth across small towns increased by 67.1% for the past five years (the target was 58%). Some 18,900 new jobs have been created (the target was 16,400). There are 1,300 small companies, twice as many as was expected. Yet, as of 1 April this year the number of employees in small towns made up 125,100 (the target was 125,800). The jobless rate is above the 0.1% projections. Despite good overall showings, the situation is not that smooth. For example fifteen towns out of 40 that have been put on the program failed to meet the industrial and consumer production targets. Almost every second town has investment projects that have been shelved. The regional authorities are concerned with the activity of the start-up companies. Out of 172 companies founded in small towns in 2009 only 84 were operating in Q1 2010. Some 88 companies do not function or are in the process of liquidation. The first deputy chairman of the Vitebsk oblast executive committee, Vladimir Novatsky, stressed that the national comprehensive program is one of the most important parameters that characterizes the performance of the local authorities. The goal of the program is to promote sustainable development of small and medium towns, to create comfortable living conditions, create jobs. “The targets set out in the program are feasible. If one of them is not met, it affects the whole program. The state has created all necessary conditions for its implementation. What is lacking is initiative and responsibility at the local level,” he said. The Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee intends to monitor the course of the implementation of the program on a monthly basis. There are 40 settlement centers in the Vitebsk Oblast that have the status of a small town. Their population is almost 262,000. More than 60% of them are people of working age.

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