TASS, October 22. The Far-Eastern Hectare federal program in the Russian Arctic zone, where applicants may receive land plots for free, is most popular in the Murmansk Region, and the demand is the lowest in the Komi and Nenets Regions, TASS calculated using data from participating regions.

Under the Far-Eastern Hectare federal program in the Russian Arctic zone, an applicant may receive for free a land plot of up to 1 hectare. The land could be used for any purpose. This purpose must be reported within a year. Within first six months, only Arctic residents can participate in the program.

Murmansk Region

"The Murmansk Region has registered 2,624 applications, where 118 plots have been allocated, and another 906 agreements are being processed," the region’s representative Viktoria Minkina told TASS. Under the Hectare in Arctic, the region has offered 731,200 hectares, which is 5% of the territory. Most part (614,200 hectares) is forests. Of highest demand are plots in the Kola District - the biggest district in the region.

"The program is popular. Most plots will be used for building housing, and some would want to use them to start businesses, including tourism. Some plan to have agricultural programs," she said, adding the participants have one year to report what they will be doing on that land, thus "it is too early to say which plots will be used for business projects, or for agriculture or for industries."

Polar Regions in 2022 will launch a program "Own House in the Arctic," which may be merged with the Hectare in Arctic. On the land plot, received for free, residents of the Murmansk Region may receive a 30% subsidy to build or buy a house.

Arkhangelsk Region

The free hectares in the Arkhangelsk Region take an area of 1,978.33 hectares (less than 1% of the territory). Those are mostly plots in settlements or in agricultural districts. By mid-October, the number of applications from local residents was by 3.6 times fewer than in the Murmansk Region. However, the demand is steadily high, the local authorities said.

"We have received 716 applications for land plots. Of highest demand are plots for building own houses. We have prepared the necessary paperwork for 41 applicants, and work with other applications is underway," the regional property relations authority told TASS, adding the region presently does not plan business incentives on such plots.

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region

The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region has allocated 17,000 hectares (less than 1% of the territory). Local residents apply for the plots mostly for agricultural purposes or for building family houses. The number of applications is comparable that with the Arkhangelsk Region - 686. "We have registered applications for land both in the forest zones, and for the plots for agricultural and industrial purposes. As of early October, 25 plots have been formalized," the regional property relations department told TASS.

Karelia

Karelia takes the second line among participating regions in terms of the areas, allocated for the program - 337,000 hectares (about 2% of the territory), and only the fourth line in terms of received applications - almost twice fewer than in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, or seven times fewer than in the Arkhangelsk Region.

"Over two months of the program in Karelia, we have received more than 360 applications for the Arctic Hectare. Most applicants want to receive plots in the Loukhsky and Kostomukshsky districts. Most allocated plots are forest lands (more than 327,000 hectares), more than 10,000 hectares are inside settlements, and 106.5 are agricultural lands," the region’s land resources official Ivan Khorulsky told TASS.

According to him, most locals plan to build houses with gardens, and a few applications quote tourism projects. "For example, in the Segezha District, one of the hectares may be used for a new berth for small vessels, and in the Kem District - for a park with fountains and sculptures," he said.

As for the hectares in the forest lands, he continued, they are not of high demand. The official explains it by a lack of transport infrastructures there. However, the authorities hope that from February, 2022, when residents from Russia’s other regions are invited to apply for the hectares, the situation may change. "I believe, we will see a high demand for plots in the forests, as we can see the development of tourism infrastructures is already of high demand. When all Russians are allowed to participate in the program, I believe, we will have to offer additional plots under the program," he said.

Nenets Autonomous Region

Only 49 applications have been filed in the region over two months of the program. The administration has signed agreements with 19 people. "Some want to legalize the buildings they have. We have not expected a high demand," the regional government’s press service told TASS. The authorities have allocated 1,293 hectares (less than 1%) in compliance with the public preferences.

Out of 1,293 hectares under the program, 128.8323 hectares (9.96%) have been formalized. "Practically everyone is interested in building houses, but not all local regulations in the Kui District allow that," the press service said.

Interestingly, the region’s 95% of the territory are agricultural lands for deer breeding. Thus, practically all the territory is rented by deer breeders and cannot participate in the Hectares in Arctic program.

Komi Region

The Komi Region reports the smallest number of applications. The regional property and land authority told TASS, by mid-October they had registered 18 applications for 17 plots of 18.2 hectares. At the same time, the region offers about 4,200 hectares (about 1%) under the program.

"The locals want the plots for agricultural purposes. Many inquiries were about a possible building of tourism facilities along rivers or in mountains, but there any land plots are not available, and thus we do not register such applications," said a source at Vorkuta’s administration, where officials had received two applications for 4 hectares.

The region’s Ust-Tselimsky District has reported only one application. "We have received an application from only one local businessman, nobody else has been interested," the district’s official Nikolai Mitrofanov said. "The farmers have enough land, which we rent. At first, some wanted to receive forest plots for hunting, but forest lands are not allowed in this district, thus the interest has faded away. We do not have really much attractive plots, we do have scenic meadows, though without any roads, water or electricity. We’ll wait to see what will happen in six months [when the hectares would be available not only to local residents, but to any applicants]," he said.

The land plots in Kimi are near settlements, and thus organizing infrastructures there is quite doable. Outside the program remain land plots with specific terms of exploitation, territories with natural resources, water reservoirs, rented lands and forest areas.

About program

Under the Far Eastern Hectare program in the Russian Arctic zone applicants may receive for free plots of up to 1 hectare. Within the first year, the new owners must decide how they will use the land, and in three years they have to declare the plot’s purpose. In five years, an owner may formalize the property or a long-term rent.