The issue of quality of life in small cities with a population of less than 100 thousand inhabitants has been a strategic priority of the State for several years. As noted by Andrei Sharonov, head of the National Alliance on Social and Environmental Responsibility, Corporate Governance and Sustainable Development, it is in these cities that one in six residents of Russia lives, that is, approximately 24 million people. In recent years, many companies whose companies form cities have begun to spend much more money on improving the quality of life in small towns. Companies are more interested than ever in cooperating with local authorities to improve the quality of the urban environment, education and healthcare. It was this topic that was discussed in the session “Sustainable development of small and medium-sized cities: development of cooperation between business and the state” at the Eastern Economic Forum – 2023.
Sergei Zhuravlev, Vice President for Government Relations of PJSC Polyus (the largest gold producer in Russia), jokingly noted that almost all minerals in Russia are found not in the Krasnodar Territory, but in areas with a rather harsh climate. Therefore, it is impossible to attract highly qualified specialists to work in those regions without creating comfortable living and working conditions.
“Over the past five years we have spent about one billion rubles on social projects,” Zhuravlev said, explaining that we are talking about settlements in Yakutia and the Magadan region, where their companies are located and their employees live.
HOLD FRAME
For his part, the operational director of the energy company En+, Mikhail Jardikov, pointed out that of 64 industrial cities in Siberia, only eight have a stable population. And in 15 cities, the number of residents has decreased by 20% or half a million people in recent years. The main reasons for the outflow of population are competition between regions, as well as the reluctance of young people to return to their homeland after completing their studies at universities.
“In the energy sector, unlike mining companies, shifts and rotation between power plants are impossible, so retaining personnel is a key task for us,” Khardikov said.
Mikhail Jardíkov. Photo: Igor Rodin
He noted that in 2022 En+ invested $53 million in social programs. New residential buildings are being built where the company’s employees can purchase housing under a special mortgage program; Seven medical centers were built during the pandemic.
Regarding interaction with small and medium-sized businesses in small settlements, the bet is that their development and support will not be the responsibility of the company that forms the city, but rather of the local authorities. Jardikov cited as an example that once the construction of the sports complex is completed, it passes to the management of the local administration for its further operation and to attract residents of the region to sports.
INDUSTRIAL BOOM NO WORSE THAN THE 70S
Representatives of the authorities of two regions of Yakutia and Primorsky Krai took part in the debate. First Deputy Chairman of the Government of Yakutia Kirill Bychkov stated that today the region is experiencing explosive growth in production, comparable to the period of the 70s. Not only coal production is increasing, but also the oil industry. and gas is being developed more actively and a low-capacity nuclear power plant is being built in Ust-Kuiga. New settlements are being founded, for example in Elga a settlement with 12 thousand inhabitants appeared. The population of the village of Deputatsky, where the largest deposit of tin is located, is being restored again. New roads are being built, for example the 565 kilometer Pacific Railway, a unique infrastructure project, the first in the last 150 years.
The head of the Nakhodka urban district, Timur Maginsky, noted that due to the change in the economic direction, the development of Nakhodka acquired special importance. Currently, 137 projects worth more than 430 billion rubles are being implemented. We are talking exclusively about private funds, without taking into account the budget of 49 billion rubles. In addition to the transport industry, attention is paid to the development of tourism in the region.
Photo: Igor Rodin
However, in recent years, the authorities have recorded an outflow of population: most young people go to study, and after a few years their parents leave the city and we are talking about the population of working age. One of the main reasons for this was the environment. But now this problem has been eliminated. The volume of coal selection has decreased and within five years the city will be completely gasified, 43 coal and fuel oil boiler rooms will be replaced by five gas ones. The outflow of population may be stopped thanks to the implementation of infrastructure projects, including the construction of new roads.
