The Governor reported that his region’s economic indices were back to 2019 levels and had even exceeded these: industrial production stood at 117 percent, construction – 176 percent, investment in fixed assets – 103 percent, and retail trade – 103 percent. Personal revenue had risen by 19 percent on 2019. Unemployment is below its pre-crisis levels at 0.74 percent.
Last year, 16 capital construction facilities were commissioned, including six social facilities built under national projects, such as a kindergarten, a sports and recreation centre, lawn tennis courts, and a water supply intake. Some other commissioned facilities were financed by private investors and the federal government, including the Chaika (Seagull) ice palace in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, and a wrestling arena in Khabarovsk.
As for healthcare, Mikhail Degtyaryov reported that a TB dispensary, a department of infectious diseases at a children’s hospital, and a children’s health centre in Khabarovsk would be commissioned before the end of 2022. Under the primary care modernisation programme, 30 village first-aid stations and 10 outpatient departments will be built before 2025. Frozen construction projects are being revived, including a hospital in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, a children’s hospital complex and an oncologic dispensary in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The construction works there came to a standstill in 2019.
The Governor also reported on support for the retired and families with children as well as on resettling people from dilapidated housing.
According to the Governor, his region is planning to double the Gross Regional Product to 1.7 trillion roubles by 2026 under the Programme for the Development of the Russian Far East. This will be achieved on the basis of implementing several major projects, including a mining and processing plant on the Malmyzhsky deposit, the Pacific Railway from Yakutia; the Port of Elga in the Sea of Okhotsk, from which coal will be delivered to customers financed by private investment; a pipeline and an LNG plant from Yakutian gas fields in the north of the Khabarovsk Territory; the Pacific leach plant in Sovetskaya Gavan; a cement plant on the Nilansky limestone deposit; Thermal Power Plant-4 in Khabarovsk being built by RusHydro; the Nimansky hydropower station; the Tugurskaya tidal power station, and hydrogen production. The total investment amounts to 2.8 trillion rubles.
The Governor described Russian Railways’ Eastern testing range as a key project with a direct bearing on the Khabarovsk Territory. Pursuant to President Putin’s instructions, a Far Eastern building materials cluster will be created in Khabarovsk, which will supply building materials to Russian Railways and its contractors.
They also discussed the implementation of other Presidential instructions. Those had to do with renovations in Far Eastern cities, a project covering three of the region’s cities – Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Sovetskaya Gavan. A project will be launched for individual housing construction using the client's material. In addition, half a million square metres of housing will be built in the region under the Far Eastern Neighbourhood project sponsored by the Ministry for the Development of the Far East.
The next Presidential instruction concerns holding WorldSkills 2023 in Khabarovsk. Incidentally, an international air terminal capable of serving 1 million passengers per year is being built there, and will open in March 2023; and a new runway has been built, where all types of aircraft will be able to land. As many as 3,000 people will come from all over the country, with competitions in 80 skills announced.
The Governor also spoke about the development of higher education in the region, an inter-university campus project to be implemented as a public-private partnership, involving the Ministry of Education and Science and the Government of the Khabarovsk Territory. Mikhail Degtyaryov asked the President to support this project, as well as to support the development of the Russia – My History park in Khabarovsk. Importantly, the new theme park will include displays on the history of the region.
Mikhail Degtyaryov also spoke about the plan to manufacture the new aircraft, Baikal, in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The local aircraft builders have all the necessary competencies. Agreements have been reached that the Ministry for the Development of the Far East will provide funding to build the plants, while the Ministry of Industry and Trade will pay for the equipment. Superjets are manufactured in the same area, the governor said.
Vladimir Putin noted that Baikal is an excellent 9–12 seat aircraft, the world's first aeroplane with an emergency parachute system. It will be able to land on water, and on snow, on skis, and use a short runway that is only 300 metres long. However, the immediate goal is to develop a Russian-made engine for it. The President stressed that it would be a good aircraft designed for the regions, including Siberia and the Far East, and for local airlines.
The President approved the region’s performance results with regard to objective figures and indicators, and suggested looking at the documents prepared by the Governor.