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RF government to consider urgent financial aid to flood-hit regions

The RF cabinet’s press service reported that the funds would be allocated from the government’s reserve fund

MOSCOW, October 3 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian government at its meeting on Thursday will consider emergency financial assistance to the flood-stricken Far East regions. The RF cabinet’s press service reported that the funds would be allocated from the government’s reserve fund.

According to preliminary estimates, the major flooding has inundated more than 2 thousand kilometres of regional, inter-municipal and local roads, destroyed about 1.4 thousand kilometres of such roads.

The press service noted that some of the territories are now still in the flood zone, so the assessment of the damage to road infrastructure in some regions continues. “In this regard, by a draft executive order it is proposed to provide 965.7 million roubles in budgetary allocations from the government’s reserve fund to the Federal Road Agency (Rosavtodor) in 2013 for partial restoration of roads,” the Cabinet said.

In addition, the ministers will consider the possibility of allocating from the same reserve fund money for the payment of compensations for the loss of agricultural crops grown on personal subsidiary plots in the amount three thousand roubles per every 0.01 hectares of crops. It is planned to allocate a total of 1.7 billion roubles for this purpose. All payments must be made ·· before October 15.

The government also intends to raise the issue of additional measures to reduce tensions on the labour market of the flooded regions of the Far East. The related draft executive order provides for the allocation of 1.4 billion roubles to Yakutia, to Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais, to Magadan and Amur Oblasts, to the Jewish Autonomous Region for implementing additional measures to promote the employment of citizens.

In particular, a citizen who has opened a business will receive 100 thousand roubles as working capital for business purposes, rent, payment for utilities services, communications, transportation services and as compensation for the cost of business registration.