Paris will become an agro-town

December 1, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Paris will become an agro-town. The village, named after the French capital in the Postavy district of the Vitebsk region, will celebrate its new status on December 25 of this year, the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Agriculture and Food Committee told a BELTA correspondent. In accordance with the state program for the revival and development of rural areas, on the eve of the new year, in addition to Paris, 44 more settlements in the region will become agro-towns. Over Br150 billion has been allocated for their development. In 10 months of this year, more than 700 facilities have been commissioned, including 182 in the production sector. During the implementation of the rural revival and development program, from 2005 to 2008, almost 6,000 residential buildings were constructed for villagers in the Vitebsk region, and all state standards for public services were met. For example, almost every third rural resident in the region has a landline telephone. 75 general medical practice outpatient clinics have been established in the districts, serving the population within a radius of 10-15 km, and 30 new-type cultural institutions have appeared, combining a club, a library, and an entertainment center. Over 100 additional mini-shops have been opened, and the reconstruction of over 1,200 retail outlets has been carried out with a transition to self-service. Since the beginning of the program implementation, more than 400 new jobs have been created in rural areas. Currently, there are 147 agro-towns in the region. By the end of 2010, their number will reach 256. -0-