SLAVGOROD, 23 April (BelTA) – It is important to implement regional development programs properly, Chair of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Natalya Kochanova said at a meeting of the Council for Cooperation of Local Self-Government Bodies at the Council of the Republic, BelTA has learned.
“The head of state, Aleksandr Lukashenko, took an absolutely right decision to develop the regions affected by the Chernobyl accident. We met with people living there and they expressed appreciation for what had been done by the state and the government. They thanked the president for the programs to support and develop these regions. People are happy about the way their communities are changing. No matter how good programs and laws might be, a lot depends on how they are implemented. It is necessary to run them in a smart and rational way,” Natalya Kochanova said.
One of the important issues discussed at the council meeting was the work of local authorities. “We came here to review the efforts of local authorities to implement these programs. What we saw in Slavgorod today, of course, deserves all praise. The district is not only utilizing the funds allocated for community improvement, but is also opening production facilities, which is very important. A branch of our famous enterprise Krasny Pischevik will open here, which will create more than 100 jobs. A new kindergarten has been built. The birth rate is growing and this is very indicative. Demographic security is one of the priority tasks for our state. All the plans are being materialized here thanks to the programs and decisions that were taken earlier,” the senator said.
She praised the way Mogilev Oblast is run. “ We see that the construction projects that were dragging on for decades are completed within a short period of time. Mogilev Oblast Governor Leonid Zayats noted that a sports center will be completed in Mogilev by 7 November. We saw the refurbishment of the Golubaya Krynitsa springs in Slavgorod – this place will draw a lot of tourists. It was reconditioned and it will make money for the economy of the district, Mogilev Oblast and the country as a whole,” she said.
According to Mogilev Oblast Governor Leonid Zayats, the southeastern region includes seven districts of Mogilev Oblast, including Slavgorod District. “The president instructed the regional authorities and the government to improve this territory. The southeastern region has areas that were badly affected by the Chernobyl accident. From 2016 to 2020, this region made significant progress. A lot of funds were invested in the real sector of the economy. The proceeds from the sale of products doubled, wages increased 1.7 times. In addition, milk production increased. In 2020, grain production rose 1.4 times, rapeseed production 1.7 times, cash revenue increased, too, productivity grew 1.2 times compared to 2019,” the governor said.
According to the governor, additional steps are being taken to improve the social infrastructure of Mogilev Oblast. “In Kostyukovichi, for example, the construction of the House of Culture is nearing completion; we are planning to build a swimming pool in Khotimsk, schools have been repaired in Cherikov. Medical care is also in the focus. The infrastructure will be improved. The program to provide gas to agro-towns of Kostyukovichi District and Krasnopolye District is nearing completion. The president set a task to improve the living standards in the southeast so that this area will be on a par with other districts of Mogilev Oblast,” Leonid Zayats said.
