MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. Master plans for development of the Arctic's backbone cities will consider the previously adopted plan for Norilsk's social and economic development, Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said.

"The development of cities is a most important direction. In compliance with President Putin's order, this work continues in the Far East, where specialists have developed master plans for capitals of all Far Eastern districts, <...> and we are starting similar work in the Arctic. Here, the Murmansk Region will certainly play a leading role. With a great support from the Federation Council, we are already implementing a pilot project - a comprehensive plan for the social and economic development of the city of Norilsk. <...> We will prepare similar master plans for Arctic backbone cities, and then will approve them jointly with the government," he told a meeting at the Federation Council.

In July, the president told the government to make a list of backbone Arctic settlements. He noted that the list may include both cities and small towns that are of strategic importance for the country. The minister earlier said the list should include defense and investment Arctic centers, key ports of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and the Arctic regions' capitals.

The comprehensive plan for the social and economic development of Norilsk (one of the northernmost cities in the world) to 2035 was approved in 2021. The plan includes 120.1 billion rubles ($1.1 billion) of investments, where 24 billion rubles ($238 million) are from the federal budget, 14.8 ($147 million) billion rubles are from the Krasnoyarsk Region's consolidated budget, and 81.3 billion rubles ($806 million) are from the Norilsk Nickel Company. According to the plan, about 100 new houses of total 400,000 square meters and a number of socially important facilities will be built by 2035.