5 September 2008
Some 170 billion rubels to go toward 2009 preparations for nuclear power plant construction, deputy minister says

Around 170 billion rubels in public funds is projected to be spent on 2009 preparations for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus, Deputy Finance Minister Uladzimir Amaryn said at a meeting with members of the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Under the ministry's 2009 budget estimates, some 700 billion rubels is to be earmarked for support of the real economic sector, 1.5 times more than this year, with 262 billion rubels to account for direct subsidies.
Some 2,000 billion rubels in loans and subsidies from the state budget is to go toward housing construction projected at six million square meters. In addition, 314 billion rubels from the state and local budgets is projected to be spent on the laying of supply pipelines at new developments.

Spending on the agricultural sector is slated at 4,500 billion rubels, with 1,000 billion rubels in funds from the state budget to be spent under the government's programs, 1,000 rubels to come from local budgets and 2,500 billion rubels to come from the agriculture support fund.

Around 438 billion rubels is to be earmarked for compensation payments to borrowers for loan interests and expenditures on corporate bonds. Spending on the government's investment program is to total 1,500 billion rubels compared with 971 billion rubels this year.

A total of 10,600 billion rubels is to go toward the government's 61 programs, 38 percent more than this year. //BelaPAN