Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: Mr Zhukov, now that the long New Year's and Christmas holidays are over, the country is resuming its routine work.
With this regard, my first question is about the situation in the labour market. What's happening there?
Alexander Zhukov: Mr Putin, first of all I would like to say a few words about last year's numbers. We expected average annual unemployment to reach 2.2 million.
Vladimir Putin: There were some predictions of 2.5 million.
Alexander Zhukov: In the beginning, yes, and then predictions fell to 2.2 million, and it actually turned out to be 2.08 million, which is even less than our adjusted predictions.
I believe this was a result of our measures to decrease the strain on the labour market. Yesterday I met with authorities from regions where 35.6 billion roubles are reported to have been spent. You might remember that more funds were allocated for this.
Vladimir Putin: 43.7 billion roubles, correct?
Alexander Zhukov: Exactly, but we managed to reduce spending somewhat. A total of 2.8 million people were involved in these programmes, which allowed us to preserve 2.3 million jobs.
The majority of these people were employed in public works. A total of 2.4 million people were employed in public works, received temporary jobs or worked as interns, which required 25.6 billion roubles.
More people participated in self-employment programmes than we expected, which encouraged the development of small and medium-sized businesses. A total of 127,600 people received lump-sum subsidies and started their own businesses. This is five times more than in previous years. A total of 7.5 billion roubles were spent on this.
There were also other arrangements, such as preventive retraining programmes, involving 216,000 people and requiring 1.4 billion roubles.
Here is a chart featuring the changes in registered unemployment and the number of people involved in our programmes, as shown by month. As you can see, this number increased. I think the jobless decrease can mainly be explained by the fact that over two million people were involved in these programmes as of the end of the year.
According to the latest survey, at the beginning of this year, between December 31 and January 13, the number of unemployed people stood at 2.148 million.
In the past two weeks it has grown by 16,710. In fact, in late November and December unemployment grew somewhat, which happens annually because of seasonal factors, but the growth rates cannot be compared to what we had during the same period in 2008.
At that time the number of unemployed people sometimes increased by 100,000-150,000 every week.
Vladimir Putin: So, unemployment grew less than in 2008?
Alexander Zhukov: It grew much less. There are other positive trends too. For example, the number of employees expected to be dismissed within the same period, the first two weeks of the year, diminished by 13,000.
Likewise, the number of the employees who were without work due to mismanagement, or worked part time or were on forced leave, fell. This number fell by even more, by 86,000. The trend is certainly positive.
We are planning to continue all these efforts in 2010. All necessary funds have been allocated, with 81 regional programmes adopted so far. Two regional programmes haven't been submitted yet, specifically the programmes for Yakutia and the Arkhangelsk Region; they are being refined. The rest of the programmes are fine.
Pertinent agreements have been concluded with 34 regional governments, and necessary means have been allocated.
As opposed to the previous year, the current programmes are aimed at the creation of permanent jobs, with self-employment and small business development prioritised. We expect to create over 200,000 jobs under the approved programmes.
There is a new direction, specifically assisting with disabled people's employment. We plan to employ... Remember, during our meeting with the public organisations of disabled people you demanded that we create more jobs for people with disabilities.
Vladimir Putin: We must support the organisations of people with disabilities.
Alexander Zhukov: The programme will create 20,000 new jobs for people with disabilities. Companies will have to equip special working areas for them.
Vladimir Putin: That is good - but don't forget to preserve the jobs that are currently available.
Alexander Zhukov: We are doing so. A recently launched special programme allocates sufficient funds to support both organisations of people with disabilities and employers who hire them.
Vladimir Putin: We must try to avoid a situation like that of the beginning of last year, when these organisations were the first to be reduced orders because of the difficult situation.
Alexander Zhukov: We shall pay special attention to that. For all the regional programmes we have discussed, we have analysed the employment situation in each region's single-industry towns. These programmes include special measures for employees at the companies that constitute the economic base of these towns, especially companies that are in difficult financial situations and have to dismiss employees.
Vladimir Putin: Every region needs a programme for single-industry towns. We are willing to cooperate with the regions in preparing such programmes.
Alexander Zhukov: Yes.
Vladimir Putin: When I visited Voronezh yesterday, the regional governor showed me a plan for every single-industry town in the region. All regions need similar programmes.
Alexander Zhukov: Mr Putin, we will certainly do this. Such regional programmes have special sections on single-industry towns. More than that, we have pinpointed 27 largest single-industry towns with the biggest economic problems. Each of them will have a programme for its own social and economic development. As far as employment is concerned, we will hold weekly meetings, which I will chair, to monitor how these special programmes in single-industry towns are addressing this issue.
Vladimir Putin: Good.
Alexander Zhukov: Even before the distribution process starts, we have set aside 5% of regional programme allocations - which shows that we are serious about this work.
Vladimir Putin: Okay.
Alexander Zhukov: Mr Putin, a government executive order has been submitted for your signature. It calls for lump-sum cash rewards for Russia's best doctors, beginning this year. The beneficiaries will be selected from among the winners of the national Doctor of the Year contest in thirty categories.
The results of the contest will be announced between February 10 and March. The award ceremony will be held in Moscow. First place winners will receive 500,000 roubles, second place 300,000 and third place 200,000. This is Russia's first-ever national award for doctors. They were previously only entitled to departmental awards.
Vladimir Putin: Good. I will sign the order tonight.
The unabridged text of the executive order signed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is available on the official website of the government of the Russian Federation, www.government.ru.