OREANDA-NEWS. December 27, 2010. The Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia completed formation of the draft Concept of Social and Economic Development of the region through to 2015. On December, 22 the draft Concept will be discussed at the session of the Government of the republic. If the document receives a good rating, according to the Constitution of the republic Head of Karelia will submit it for consideration of the Legislative Assembly.

On the basis of the Concept there will be developed a Program of Social and Economic Development of Karela through to 2015 – a complex of more specific activities for which duration, resources and executors will be stated.

The Concept is a part of the system of strategic planning of social and economic development of the region and was developed in view of the priorities stated by the long-term Strategy of social and economic development of the territory through to 2020 adopted by the republican parliament this June.

A special working group of experts and heads of ministries and departments, scientists and representatives of the public was engaged in development of the Concept.

At the recent meeting of the working group Minister of Economic Development of Karelia Valentin Luntsevich speaking of the basic directions stated in the document, has pinted out that "for economy development the republic in the coming years should solve a number of primary tasks both economic, and social: the region should get into issues of energy development, mobilization of investment into the branch and at the same time to solve problems of energy consumption at enterprises cardinally through introduction of power efficient technologies. Special attention should be paid to forestry development – its share in the budget of the republic should reach 15 – 20% instead of 5-6% as of today, and we have opportunities for it. Another priority is development of road infrastructure: all available resources will be involved to achieve positive parameters in this sphere. Besides, the Government of Karelia attaches great importance to development of tourism – tourism in the republic should be considered an independent trade. In 2011 funds allocated by the government to support development of small business will be increased. Programs concerning expansion in the number of places in children's preschool institutions, issues of personnel training and retraining for trades in demand in the region, programs on the line of public health services will be specially controled these years."

Valentin Luntsevich has also emphasized, that "in spite of the fact that to some extent the Concept is a 'flexible' document, that is, proceeding from possible changes in the economy certain corrective amendments may be made to indicative parameters if necessary, the main vectors for development of the territory and direction of work of the Government will not change. In this sense experts have formed the Concept proceeding from true analytical data, economic forecasts and states of affairs in the region today."

The Concept assumes achievement of the following parameters: 26.5% increase in the volume of total regional product; up to 5% reduction of the budgeted deficit of the republic; 18% growth of real income of population; up to 14.5% reduction of the share of population living below a minimum subsistence income; 50% growth of investments into basic capital and creation of more than 7,000 new workplaces; 1.9-fold growth of the number of created and used advanced industrial technologies; the number of additionally created constant jobsites as a result of implementation of complex investment plans of modernization of single-industry towns to make 2890.

The modified draft Concept within the next few days will be published on the Republic of Karelia State Government Bodies' official Internet Portal to be discussed with the public of the republic, consideration of constructive remarks and offers.