The Russian presidential envoy to the North Caucasus will present a regional social and economic development strategy to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday, the Russian government's press service has said.
In July, Putin ordered Alexander Khloponin to develop a strategy that would allow improving the economic and social situation in the region. He said special economic zones and industrial parks should be established in the North Caucasus to attract investment to the area.
Poor living standards and the lack of jobs in the North Caucasus has been a major reason for local residents to join militants.
"By 2025, it is planned to reach a 7.7-percent increase in gross regional product at an annual rate, raise regional budgets' revenues by four times, real month salary by 2.5 times, create 400,000 new working positions and lower the level of registered unemployment from 16 percent to 5 percent," the press service said.
The new development strategy also stipulates the creation of a tourism cluster in the region.
Several investment projects intended to become the basis for regional economic rise have been already implemented in the North Caucasus, the press service said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced in January the establishment of the North Caucasus Federal District and named Khloponin as deputy prime minister and presidential envoy to the district. The onetime Krasnoyarsk governor and former business executive has been described as a "crisis manager" for the region.
On Sunday, three servicemen were killed and more than 30 were injured when a suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives into the army camp near the city of Buinaksk in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan.
In mid-August, Medvedev criticized Khloponin for the poor situation in Dagestan, which is among the most subsidized Russian regions with very low quality of life.
Medvedev instructed Khloponin to look at the possibility of giving the republic money from the federal program aimed at developing southern Russia.
MOSCOW, September 6 (RIA Novosti)
