Igor Rudenya thanked the President for his constant attention to the construction of the northern bypass of Tver and emphasised that a transport corridor had now been formed, which made northeastbound traffic in the region possible, which is of great help for the region’s economy.
The Governor also provided an update on the efforts to build gas infrastructure in the region which had been supported by the President. The project is being developed by Gazprom. Once connected to the gas grid, many companies in the region will get the chance to switch to natural gas and improve their competitive edge. All budgetary institutions, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and administrative buildings, will switch to natural gas which will take the region to a whole new level. Gas supply will give life to small communities dating back 500–600 years, and create new jobs and educational programmes.
Vladimir Putin noted that the region boasts positive indicators in almost all major areas, including GRP growth, industrial output, and agriculture. Construction is making particularly considerable advances. At the same time, the President drew attention to the fact that primary care needs more work, because the number of doctors and doctor visits remains below the national average.
Rudenya confirmed that medical examinations and occupational check-ups have room for improvement. Multifunctional mobile health units equipped with X-ray and fluorography equipment are being purchased to service small communities. About 3 billion rubles are allocated from the regional budget to raise salaries for primary care employees. The support coming from the industry creates extra budgetary revenue. Companies that engage in construction and gas infrastructure development are registered as tax residents in the region for the duration of these projects.
The Governor also spoke about the special military operation, or more specifically, the Volga Tank Battalion. He said that the title of Hero of Russia had been awarded to five residents of the Tver Region and that the local authorities provided assistance to the families of participants in the special military operation. For example, additional payments have been approved for them within the programme of connecting households to the gas supply system. The children from these families who are studying at vocational colleges receive an increased scholarship, and 200 of them have been enrolled at medial colleges regardless of the acceptance rate.
In reply to the President’s question about the most interesting investment projects, Igor Rudenya briefed him about the Emmauss special economic zone where cableways would be produced because it had become impossible to import them due to the sanctions. The relevant technology was purchased before the Western sanctions were introduces, and the plant will start producing cableways for Russian customers as soon as next year. Another interesting project has to do with computer and telephone assembly. An agreement for component parts has been signed with the People’s Republic of China, where the region has opened a representative office.
According to the Governor, the special military operation called for reviewing the economic development priorities and highlighted the importance of creating and developing domestic technologies. The region has the main elements for that, namely professionals, including engineers, as well as young people who have displayed interest in this sphere. The thinking public should make good quality products, developing the industry so that they can realise their potential through their products.