Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Tuleyev, we have talked with miners during the meeting and they called my attention to the fact that everyone is now being paid the average wage, but for some that means 50,000 to 55,000 roubles, and even 60,000 roubles, and for others, 28,000 to 30,000 roubles.

We agreed with the mine management and shareholders to retroactively raise the lower limit of miners' wages to 40,000 roubles - from June 1 of this year. I am asking you as governor to see this through in cooperation with the Raspadskaya management.

Aman Tuleyev: Mr Putin, you have resolved a very serious matter. We carried out your first directive to pay everyone average wages. But now that it has been done, new tensions appeared: two miners may be carrying a pipe together, but while one of them receives 60,000, the other gets 37,000. You told us to set 40,000 as the lower limit. The general director has confirmed this, and I am taking personal charge of the matter.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Tuleyev, now a few words about social issues in general: the health services, housing and other problems. How are these issues being addressed in your region?

Aman Tuleyev: Mr Putin, to begin with, the situation in the region is stable. True, due to the Raspadskaya accident we will lose two billion roubles in budget revenues. I am very grateful to you for addressing our problems. First, it was the roads. And second, you decided that a hospital complex will be built in Mezhdurechensk to cater for two towns: Mezhdurechensk and Myski. The total cost of the project is 900 million roubles, and I understand we also must contribute to it.

Vladimir Putin: 800.

Aman Tuleyev: 800. Two years ago, you instructed us "to take care of infant mortality." I can report now that in October we are opening a perinatal centre. With its commissioning - it has the most up-to-date equipment that meets international standards - we will push it (the mortality rate) down by 10%. But the focus of our efforts is the quality of life. Over the past five years, the average life expectancy has increased by three years. With healthcare, it is all clear and there are good prospects that what you said will be carried out. Veterans and youth social services are among the best in the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin: Your housing outlook is good.

Aman Tuleyev: In housing, our main concern is tearing down dilapidated and structurally unsound housing stock. Here are a few figures, Mr Putin. In 2002, one billion roubles was allocated for the whole country, for all coal regions, to pull down workers' barracks. This year the Kuzbass, a single region, is getting three billion roubles for barrack clearance. This is being done per your directive. We have to relocate something like 15,000 families. Just like that. You have seen these barracks. You were visiting Novokuznetsk last year and we were moving all those people together. We will fulfil this objective. Now, to be honest, I am afraid of something else - how to work through all the money you allocated us.

In housing, we are paying most attention to private construction. Why? There is a lot of vacant land, just take it and build a standard house.

Vladimir Putin: How much housing are you planning to commission this year?

Aman Tuleyev: This year, Mr Putin, considering that we have a shortfall of two billion, we will provide at least a million square metres of housing for occupancy. This is another 20,000 families, on top of the 15,000 from the barracks.

Vladimir Putin: And you must, of course, give attention to the road network.

Aman Tuleyev: In terms of road network, Mr Putin, though I don't want to praise myself, the region is considered one of the best in Russia, and you have seen it with your own eyes. But if you can provide us with more assistance, we will be extremely grateful.