Russian families with more than two children may begin receiving free land parcels starting 2011, Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin said on Thursday.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who has made the improvement of Russia's poor demographic situation a cornerstone of his policies, called for the immediate allocation of land to families in his annual state of the nation address on Tuesday.
"I think this will be implemented next year," Basargin told journalists in Moscow.
Regional governments will be able to decide independently how much land they want to allocate, although a minimum limit of 6,000 square meters will be implemented, the minister said. He added that families would also receive discounts for construction materials as part of the program.
Other steps by the Russian government aimed at improving the demographic situation include the allocation of 250,000 rubles ($8,100) upon the birth of a second child.
MOSCOW, December 2 (RIA Novosti)
