MOSCOW, March 29Unemployment in Russia is at a record low, but this does not mean that the problems in the labor market have been resolved, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with members of the government.
“In general, there are questions about the quality of jobs. However, the unemployment rate is still much higher than the national average at the enterprises where output has decreased, the teams are partially loaded, they work part-time,» the head of state said.
In general, since July last year, the Russian economy has been showing positive dynamics, Putin said. This was achieved, among other things, through the development of market niches that were vacated after the departure of Western companies.
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"Returning to the growth trajectory should not make us relax. We need to support and strengthen the positive trends in our economy, increase its efficiency, ensure technological, human and financial sovereignty.»
Vladimir Putin
The President urged to act quickly, without unnecessary bureaucracy, since the illegitimate sanctions imposed against Russia in the medium term can really have a negative impact on the economy.
The main growth factor is a steady increase in domestic demand, but its dynamics should be in line with the inflation targets of the Central Bank. The head of state instructed to prevent either its acceleration or excessive slowdown.
At the meeting, Putin also touched on the subject of Russia's technological sovereignty. He stated that the manufacturing industry is still developing at a slower pace than last year. The President instructed to restore the most affected sectors — the automotive industry and the timber industry.
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«It is necessary to ensure the rapid launch of new projects in the manufacturing industries, especially in the production of high-tech products. <…> I mean both the cluster investment platform and the industrial mortgage,” the head of state said.
Speaking of infrastructure, he noted the record volumes of 2022 for the commissioning of housing and road repairs. The President instructed the government and regional authorities to maintain the momentum. To this end, an additional 315 billion rubles have been allocated from the budget for targeted loans.
Putin called the dynamics of citizens' incomes a key indicator of economic development. This figure in real terms has begun to grow again, although the pace is still small.
Also last year, according to Rosstat, life expectancy increased by 2.7 years, and mortality is decreasing. The President called the maintenance of these trends the most important task for all levels of government.