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Putin suggests establishing order of priority in relocation of people from unfit housing

Putin added that it was not quite fair that regional programs didn’t set the order of priority for the relocation dependent on the antiquity of buildings

ELISTA, April 16 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin suggests establishing the order of priority in relocation of people from unfit housing facilities dependent on how long they live in them.

"The unfit housing stock has been accumulating for many years. It’s not even the problem o the 1990s. It appeared after the Great Patriotic War in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. At present, apartment buildings account for one third of all hazardous dwellings in Russia. They were recognized to be unfit for housing on January 1, 2007,” President Putin told a conference on problems of resettlement of people from unfit housing facilities.

Putin added that it was not quite fair that regional programs didn’t set the order of priority for the relocation dependent on the antiquity of buildings.

President Putin decided to extend the period of relocation of people from hazardous housing from 2015 until late September 2017.

"Proceeding from the present-day realities, I believe that it’s possible to extend the period for resettlement from hazardous housing from 2015 until September 30, 2017,” Putin said.

He criticized the federal government and regional governors for “low level of governance”.

Putin said that the regions and territories of Russia and the Finance Ministry signed agreements in March (on programs of resettling people from hazardous dwellings).

"At present, practically all of you, including representatives of the federal government and Russian regions are asking to change these conditions. My question is how you worked on those issues if you are asking to change the conditions of these agreements a month after they have been signed.”

Putin said that it was evident of low level of governance both at the governmental and regional levels.

President Putin promised that 126.6 billion rubles would be allocated from the federal budget to liquidate hazardous housing this year. He said that the regions were expected to increase funding for resettlement of people from hazardous dwelling from 30% to 64% on average as of 2013. He called the government’s attention to the fact that 60% of all hazardous housing stock were concentrated in regions with low budget capacity that face acute economic problems, including in mono towns and villages.

The president also added that 0.5% of apartment buildings in Russia or 13.1 million square meters of housing were in critical condition.

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