Vitebsk Region Achievements-2021: On the Path of Steady Progress
In 2021, the region's development was based on leveraging competitive advantages such as industrial potential, a developed agro-industrial complex, a variety of raw materials necessary for production activities, a favorable economic and geographical location and developed transport communications, a developing tourism infrastructure, scientific and educational potential, and the region's rich cultural heritage. The development of the IT services sector is also a promising direction.
INDUSTRY
The driver of the region's development is the industrial complex, which forms a quarter of the gross regional product. In 2021, industrial production growth was ensured, including in woodworking (growth of 6.6%), electrical equipment production (20.8%), oil refining products (3.3%), transport vehicles and equipment (1.6%), and in the light (2.2%) and food industries (1%). A third of the manufactured products are innovative.
Approximately 980 million rubles, or 46% of the region's total investment volume, are directed towards the modernization and technical re-equipment of industry. A quick-freezing workshop at the Tolochin Cannery, a unit for the production of hydraulic lifts at the Orsha Tool Plant, a finishing line for tufted carpets at Vitebsk Carpets, a workshop for the production of grating at the Novopolotsk Plant of Technological Metal Structures, and a molding workshop for the production of hollow-core slabs using the de-shuttering method launched by the Vitebsk HBS No. 3 branch of OAO Krichevtsementnshifer have been put into operation.
24 new industrial enterprises and production facilities have been created, including eight in woodworking, seven in food industry, and five in light industry.
AGRICULTURE
The region's agriculture accounts for about 11% of the GRP. The development of the districts and the workload of processing enterprises largely depend on the efficiency of the industry. The focus of the agro-industrial complex organizations is on increasing production efficiency, ensuring growth in crop production by increasing the productivity of agricultural land, strict adherence to technological regulations for crop cultivation, strengthening land use discipline, and introducing promising varieties and hybrids.
The main concerns of livestock breeders are strict adherence to technological discipline aimed at ensuring the safety and increase of cattle population, and improvement of the feed base and feed quality. For these purposes, a large-scale program for the renovation of livestock farms is being implemented. In 2021, construction, reconstruction, modernization, and major repair work was carried out at 56 facilities for cattle housing. Their total capacity after the completion of the work will be 10.5 thousand heads. A robotic dairy farm for two thousand dairy cows has been commissioned near the village of Churilovo, Orshansky district. At some facilities, work is carried out by the хозяйственный способ (in-house) using the organizations' own forces, as well as with the involvement of hired teams, which allows for reducing construction time and saving funds of agricultural enterprises. For example, at "Rudakovo," reconstruction of a cattle housing building in Novka was carried out by the construction team's own forces, saving about 22% of resources. Five livestock buildings with simplified structures have been erected. This year, further modernization continues at more than 80 livestock facilities.
TRADE
The joint work of trade and industrial enterprises in the region has ensured stability in the consumer market. Consumer preferences (primarily for socially significant goods) are mainly met by Belarusian products, the share of which in the turnover volume is higher than in the country as a whole. In this indicator, the northern region consistently holds a leading position among the regions year after year.
A developed infrastructure of trade and public catering has been formed in the Vitebsk region. In 2021, it expanded due to the opening of 30 new stores, and the trading area increased by 26.1 thousand sq. m. 65 new and renovated public catering facilities for 1.4 thousand seats were built.
The provision of retail space per thousand inhabitants was 801 sq. m, compared to the standard of 610 sq. m, and seats in public catering facilities – 41.4 seats, compared to the national standard of 42 seats.
TRANSPORT
To improve the quality of transport services for passengers in the region, the routes and schedules of existing routes are constantly being adjusted. In Vitebsk, tickets for various types of transport have been replaced with a single ticket for buses, trolleybuses, and trams, and a conductor-free payment system is being introduced on tram routes.
The reorganization of branches by Vitebskoblavtotrans OJSC has increased revenue and led to profitable operations. The vehicle fleet is updated annually. In 2021, 16 M2 category buses and six "Neman" buses, an electric bus with a charging station were purchased using funds from the regional budget. A trolleybus with autonomous running was purchased using the company's own funds.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
In the Vitebsk region, private business has grown, strengthened, and will remain a growth factor for the region. Small and medium-sized enterprises are steadily increasing their contribution to the region's economy. According to the results of 2021, tax payments to the budget increased by 9%, exports of goods increased 1.5 times, and exports of services increased 1.3 times.
The share of small and medium-sized businesses in the total volume of the region's exports of goods amounted to almost 30%, and services – 75%.
The development of entrepreneurship in the region is facilitated by comprehensive state support. In 2021 alone, 130 thousand rubles were allocated from the regional budget to small businesses. In addition, 83 unemployed individuals received subsidies totaling 265.6 thousand rubles for organizing entrepreneurial, craft, and agro-ecotourism activities.
277 new small organizations started operating in various sectors of the economy, and 9 production facilities were commissioned.
SOCIAL SPHERE
The performance of the real sector of the economy forms the basis for the development of the social sphere. State support is primarily provided to those who, for objective reasons, cannot take care of themselves – people with disabilities, lonely elderly citizens, and other socially vulnerable population groups. To this end, 25 territorial centers for social services for the population have been established in the Vitebsk region, which provided over 75 thousand social and domestic services in 2021. 15.4 thousand citizens receive social assistance at home, and over 6 thousand people are provided with technical means of social rehabilitation.
To improve the accessibility of social services, stationary social points and branches of social service centers are being opened, and utility brigades are operating. In 2021, 11 social service facilities were equipped with accessible environments. The center for receiving and transmitting messages to emergency, rescue, and other services provided about 2.5 thousand services to hearing-impaired individuals throughout the region.
There are 15 stationary social institutions operating in the region, accommodating 3.5 thousand people. In 2021, over 5 million rubles were directed towards strengthening their material and technical base, which is 5.5 times more than the previous year.
Social services are accessible to every category of people with disabilities in the northern region. The Vitebsk boarding house houses rehabilitation departments for people with musculoskeletal disorders and visual impairments, where over 400 citizens undergo rehabilitation annually. Day care departments for the elderly and disabled have been opened in the Vitebsk and Orsha boarding houses.
HEALTHCARE
In the context of the global coronavirus pandemic, special attention is paid to healthcare. In 2021, 680 million rubles were allocated for the implementation of the state program "People's Health and Demographic Security".
Following reconstruction, the second building of the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary and the Regional Clinical Center for Medical Rehabilitation for Disabled and Veterans of Combat Operations in Other States have been commissioned. The reconstruction of the dispensary building of the Regional Clinical Center for Psychiatry and Narcology has been completed, and in 2022, it is planned to build a dormitory for the "Zhemchuzhina" Children's Rehabilitation and Health Center, and the renovation of the Liozno, Dokshitsy, and Senno Central District Hospitals will continue.
45 million rubles were invested in modernizing the resource base of healthcare organizations, and about 1.3 thousand units of medical equipment were purchased. Computed tomography scanners were installed at the Lepel Central District Hospital, the Regional Clinical Center for Pulmonology and Phthisiology, and the Regional Clinical Hospital. A tomograph was acquired for the Glubokoye Central District Hospital.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND TOURISM
In 2021, athletes from the Vitebsk region won 117 medals (39 gold, 34 silver, 44 bronze) at official international competitions, including 58 in Olympic sports.
During this period, 281 candidates for master of sports, 65 masters of sports, and 9 international masters of sports were trained.
In 2021, the fitness and wellness complex in the agro-town of Babinichi, Orsha district, the sports complex in Orsha, and the martial arts hall in Postavy were reconstructed, and the stadium in Shumilino was overhauled. About 15 million rubles were allocated from the budget for these purposes. In addition, sports grounds for mini-football with artificial turf were built in Senno, Rossony, and Chashniki.
There are 105 hotels and similar hospitality industry facilities, 107 sanatorium-resort and health organizations operating in the Vitebsk region, and 670 agro-ecotourism entities are registered.
In 2021, 5.6 million rubles were allocated to strengthen the material and technical base of the tourism industry. These funds were used to reconstruct the hunter's lodge in the village of Tofeli, Rossony district, equip camping sites and build two observation towers in the territory of the Yalnya republican landscape reserve in the Miory district, equip the "Mythological Trail," and purchase catamarans at the Ozerki sports and tourist complex in Postavy district. More than 50 tourism and sports facilities are being built and reconstructed in almost all regions of the region.
Current repairs were carried out at the Vitebsk, Luchosa, and Orsha hotels, and the Slavyansky complex in Polotsk, using own funds.
The export of tourist services in 2021 amounted to 6.6 million dollars, an increase of 1.4 times.
