In the Vitebsk region, it is planned to build 330 thousand square meters of housing, with half of the houses being energy-efficient

The main task of the construction industry for 2016 is to ensure the utilization of production capacities amid a reduction in preferential lending for housing construction. 

As reported to "Vitebskiye Vesti" by Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Vladimir Belous, the target for housing construction this year is set at 330 thousand square meters, half of which must be energy-efficient. Two rental houses in Vitebsk and Orsha are to be commissioned within the next two months. However, this is insufficient to ensure the current operations and development of construction organizations. Therefore, it is necessary to mobilize all resources and direct maximum efforts towards finding additional orders, including in foreign markets.

An essential condition for achieving the set goals is to increase competitiveness, for which a series of organizational measures are currently being implemented. For instance, the municipal enterprise "Vitebskobselstroy" is being reorganized by consolidation through the accession of

urban and district organizations within the rural construction system, with the liquidation of their legal entity status. This is done to optimize the management apparatus, the share of which in many organizations reaches up to 15% of the total number of employees. In addition, considering the widespread transition to the tender system, it is very difficult for small construction enterprises to win the competition for the right to act as a general contractor in the construction of facilities.

Another reorganization measure was carried out at the republican level. One enterprise from Vitebsk region, OJSC "NefteZavodMontazh" (Novopolotsk), joined the recently established construction holding. The main goal of its formation is the development of export of services. According to the press service of the Ministry of Architecture and Construction, the enterprises will remain legal entities and will continue to operate independently within the country. At the same time, a portion of the companies' profits allocated for dividends will be accumulated within the holding for entering foreign markets.

Sergey Antonov, "Vitebskiye Vesti".