Update on Chechnya Revival Programme Implementation

Russia's federal Economic Development and Trade Ministry has summed up the 2002 Chechnya revival effort, the Ministry's press service reported Thursday.

Last year, the republic first drew up the consolidated budget, revived its social security system, healthcare, education, culture and sports agencies.

The topmost priority of the federal programme for Chechnya's economic revival the Russian government adopted in late 2001 was to promote refugees' homecoming, and restoration of housing and the economic and industrial infrastructure.

The Ministry reported on 353,000 square metres of housing, including 1,966 private and 13 municipal apartment buildings, which were commissioned in 2002.

Twenty employment centres work all across the republic. They received over 230,000 people over the last year. There are 225,000 school and university students in Chechnya as of today.

Chechnya has its banking system established. The republican energy and oil and gas sectors were almost completely restored, as were the local communication system and railway service. The effort to revive industrial facilities has been launched.