Mr Nikitin briefed the President on his work in the two months since his appointment as the region’s Acting Governor, including the regional budget, which has already passed the first reading at the local legislative assembly. The budget is expected to be implemented with a surplus, which is indicative of the growing regional economy.
According to the Acting Governor, manufacturing accounts for 35 percent of the regional economy, which is above the national average. High technology and research-intensive producers account for 30 percent. The processing industry is the main economic driver with a 90.4 percent share. It includes the production of transport vehicles, petroleum products, the nuclear industry and the defence complex. The share of innovative products in the regional economy is double the national average, while R&D spending exceeds the national average by 300 percent.
The conversation also covered infrastructure development, including road construction, gas network development and power grids, as well as social protection. Vladimir Putin spoke about the initiative to help regional budgets in reducing their debt burden, which is to allow them to focus on infrastructure, healthcare and education. The President also stressed the importance of improving the financial situation in the regions in order to deliver on objectives related to social services and infrastructure development.