Gleb Nikitin: "Our main idea is to revive abandoned settlements."

      March 27, 2026 07:00 Society The Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District, Igor Komarov, held a council meeting in Nizhny Novgorod with the participation of heads of relevant federal ministries and agencies, representatives of the Federal Assembly, and heads of regions in the district. One of the topics of the meeting was the implementation of state demographic policy in rural areas. As Igor Komarov noted, the Volga Federal District is a leader in Russia in terms of rural population: 7.8 million people live in rural settlements of the district, which accounts for 21.5% of the total number of rural residents in the country. According to him, the task of the council participants is to determine the directions for realizing the potential of rural areas based on the analysis of demographic trends, which is related to their comprehensive development. The main tool for this work is the state program for the comprehensive development of rural areas until 2030. In 2020-2025, 327 thousand square meters of housing were built and acquired in the regions of the district, 7.5 thousand projects for the improvement of public spaces were implemented, and about 650 km of roads were built and repaired. Igor Komarov emphasized that the Volga Federal District is a leader in participation in the program. In addition, measures to support families and develop rural areas are being implemented within the framework of national projects "Family", "Sustained and Active Life", and other strategic documents. This includes support measures for families with children, maternal health protection, and the development of primary healthcare. The experience of the Nizhny Novgorod region was presented by the governor, secretary of the regional branch of "United Russia", Gleb Nikitin. He reminded that the region has a demographic program "Basis", which provides financial support to families upon the birth of a child. Regardless of need criteria, parents receive at least 1 million rubles, taking into account the federal maternity capital. The head of the region noted that Nizhny Novgorod region is the most urbanized subject in the Volga Federal District and at the same time demonstrates the smallest gap between the total birth rate in the city and in the countryside. The existing demographic tools are universal for all residents of the region. At the same time, to more effectively address the issues, it is necessary to improve the accessibility of services and the quality of life in rural areas, which will help reduce population outflow. "We are currently working on adjusting the system specifically for rural areas. Our main idea is to revive abandoned settlements that are near district centers with social infrastructure. It is in such prepared places that we can offer housing within the framework of the demographic program or provide land plots to veterans of the Special Military Operation," Gleb Nikitin reported. The head of the region expressed confidence that the decisions developed at the council with the participation of federal agencies will lead to an improvement in the demographic situation, including in rural areas. Following the meeting, it is planned to prepare recommendations for improving federal and regional measures aimed at strengthening demographic potential and enhancing the quality of life in rural areas in accordance with the tasks set by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When republishing, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+