‘One in two jobless people in Tatarstan work illegally’
COVID-19, construction and unemployment — three headaches for Tatarstan municipal heads
Why one shouldn’t have visited grannies on the New Year holidays, what Aktanysh became famous for, how many applicants there are in Apastovo per position, when a third wave of COVID-19 may start — all these issues were discussed at a traditional meeting with Rustam Minnikhanov on 6 February. Representatives of all districts of the republic were invited to the session via teleconference.
“It is a consequence of New Year holidays with celebrations and going to other people’s homes”
As acting head of the Tatarstan office of Russia’s consumer rights protection watchdog Marina Trofimova said, the number of new coronavirus infection cases decreased by 6% in January in the republic, it is 2,762 people. One in three people had a mild case without symptoms, but one in four citizens got community-acquired pneumonia. The share of severe cases is 3,3%. Pensioners found it especially tough: the incidence rose by 34% in the category 65+. “It is a consequence of New Year holidays with celebrations and going to other people’s homes,” Trofimova concluded and indicated that the number of cases in a family increased to 73% too.
The biggest incidence is in Kazan and surrounding districts. The watchdog has checked 208 entertainment facilities since the beginning of the year, some places in Bugulma and Yelabuga have received remarks. Inspectors’ attention switched to educational establishments after the New Year holidays. Violations have been found in 35 of 370 kindergartens and schools. It is mainly the absence of antiseptics. No university of 16 establishments caused complaints.
During the first week of February, doctors registered around 85 cases of COVID-19 in the republic a day. The watchdog considers the indicators are stable. But Trofimova warned that the end of February and the beginning of March can be marked for an upsurge (to put it simply, a third wave of COVID-19):
“The season of viral respiratory infections hasn’t ended yet, there might be an upsurge of the incidence in late February and March. This is why the current regime of restrictions in the republic stays at the moment. The production and reinforcement of sufficient immunity after the launched vaccination also need time. Together with taking all preventive measures, our main task is to quickly and widely vaccinate people against COVID-19,” — Trofimova said.
161 social blocks of flats to be built in Tatarstan in 2021
Tatarstan Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing and Utilities Marat Ayzatullin reminded the audience against about his ministry’s plans for 2021. It is particularly a decision to deliver 2,670,000 square metres of dwelling.
A social mortgage is to account for 10% (161 blocks of flats). 12 such block have already been built, moreover, four are in Aktanysh. Another 71 social mortgage blocks are almost ready.
The budget allocated 1,2 million rubles to provide some categories of citizens with a house in 2021. 739 titles will be issued (to orphans, Chernobyl survivors, forcedly displaced people from the Far North and so on).
Moreover, the ministry hopes to develop individual housing development: the minister said that another 8,330 private houses would appear in Tatarstan in 2021.
Unemployment to be taken under control
Tatarstan can offer 50,000 vacant positions now, said Tatarstan Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Protection Elmira Zaripova. She said that the unemployment rate that skyrocketed after coronavirus is reducing. We can say that one unemployed citizen is offered two jobs. However, such a glittering situation isn’t seen everywhere. Firstly, “one in two jobless people work illegally” in six districts: it is Vysokaya Gora, Tukay, Almetyevsk, Agryz, Tetyushi and Yutazy Districts. In some situations, there is a half vacancy for a jobless person. In some districts, five unemployed people have to be glad about one position. Pestrechi, Arsk, Nurlat, Agryz, Drozhzhany, Kukmor, Apastovo, Bavly Districts are among them.
Zaripova sees close cooperation with employers as a solution — they are offered to place vacant positions on Work in Russia website. Only 34% of companies in Pestrechi District are present on the website, only 20% are found in Tukay District. Moreover, 40% of the vacancies offer a salary below 30,000 rubles (the official average salary in Tatarstan is 38,000). Moreover, 289,000 people whose income is below the minimum wage live in Tatarstan now. We should remind you that now it is 12,792 rubles a month. Lay-offs in transport, the hotel industry, catering have stopped, but demand for workforce in process manufacturing, construction, agriculture has increased.
“If large and medium-sized enterprises carried out optimisation, it doesn’t mean they will recover in 2021,” Zaripova summarised. “Our task is to provide new jobs so that this number of people will transit to small, medium-sized businesses or became self-employed.”
Rustam Minnikhanov stressed that the issues of unemployment, average salary, employment efficiency will be one of the key ones this year: “We should constantly control these issues”.