MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. More than 3 trillion rubles ($ 32 billion) are planned to be allocated for implementation of master plans for 16 agglomerations in the Russian Federation's Arctic Zone, Deputy Minister for Development of the Far East and the Arctic Gadzhimagomed Guseynov said.
"As for the 16 agglomerations, the Russian government has approved the list, and all master plans have been developed," he told the State Duma's meeting on development of the Far East and the Arctic. "We have developed a long-term program for the social and economic development of those agglomerations and have sent it for approval to relevant authorities. <...> Right now, we have allocated more than 3 trillion rubles, where 1 trillion is federal money."
About 2 trillion is off-budget money, he continued. "This is for infrastructures. As for the term to 2035, we must attract even more investments into those territories."
The Arctic master plans have been created around large projects, he said. "The Arctic master plans are slightly different. We create them around large projects. <...> That is, first comes a large investment project, an anchor one, and development complies with it."
In December 2023, the government listed 16 major settlements in the Arctic. Implementation of their master plans is due to begin in 2025.
The list of 16 Arctic backbone settlements and agglomerations in nine regions includes: Kem, Belozersk (Karelia), Vorkuta (Komi), Tiksi, Naiba (Yakutia), Norilsk, Dudinka, Dixon and Igarka (the Krasnoyarsk Region), Arkhangelsk (the Arkhangelsk Region), Murmansk, Kirov, Apatity and Monchegorsk (the Murmansk Region), Naryan-Mar (the Nenets Autonomous Region), Pevek and Anadyr (the Chukotka Autonomous Region), Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk and Salekhard-Labytnangi (the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region).