The new framework legislation defines agglomeration as the result of agreements between municipalities and, among other things, provides for the possibility of budget transfers between them. The law distinguishes two types of agglomerations: urban and rural. The concept of “urban” actually includes only the city of Kirov with its adjacent districts and cities. According to regional government estimates, around two-thirds of the region’s economic potential and population are concentrated in this territory.
At the stage of discussion of the bill, deputies focused mainly on practical issues of implementing the law. As one of the parliamentarians, Dmitry Russkikh, noted, conversations about agglomeration have been going on for more than 10 years, so everyone is primarily interested in whether the new law will be able to translate idle discussions and statements into activities. practices.
Deputy Prime Minister of the regional government Alexey Zherdev, who introduced the law on agglomerations, agreed with the statement that agglomerations will ultimately become a tool for attracting additional federal resources to the region for the implementation of projects mainly from infrastructure. At the same time, he confirmed that in the first stage the region will invest approximately 45 million rubles in the development of a master plan for a new inter-municipal association.
– The master plan must allow us to understand in what directions and in what direction we should develop. Let’s say roads. Residents of a certain area of the city or town may believe that they need to build or repair them. But it is necessary to analyze the issue more broadly. “This document should make it possible to understand the priorities,” explained the vice president of the regional government, noting that the master plan is also necessary for the implementation of current programs.
Alexey Zherdev also tried to dispel the deputies’ concerns about maintaining benefits for residents of rural settlements that will be included in the urban agglomeration. On behalf of the government, he assured MPs that this would not change the status of specific municipalities and settlements. Therefore, all measures to support rural areas and their populations will remain in effect there, including reduced rates for utilities and rural mortgages, if the federal government continues to fund such projects.
After the adoption of the law on agglomerations in the Kirov region, for which 37 deputies of the regional parliament voted and one abstention, the government, in cooperation with deputies, municipalities and representatives of the public, will begin to develop terms of reference for the development of a master plan. During the debate, several federal structures were named as possible executors, including the DOM.RF Development Institute and the Higher School of Economics. The contest is scheduled to be announced later this year or early 2025.
