In Irkutsk Region, public hearings discussed urgent rural development problems, lack of funding, poor roads, high electricity rates, youth outflow, and shortage of specialists.

Today, in the villages and settlements of the Irkutsk Region, just over half a million people live, or 21 percent of the total population. So it turns out that each villager feeds four city dwellers...
"Current Issues in the Development of Rural Territories." Public hearings on this topic were held on July 13 at the initiative of three organizations - the Public Chamber of the Irkutsk Region, the Russian Union of Rural Women, and the All-Russian Council of Local Self-Government. The meeting was attended by those who are not indifferent to the problems of agriculture and who know that they can be solved only through joint efforts. In particular, the deputy chairman of the Public Chamber, Gennady Komarov, in his welcoming remarks to the participants said that the issue under discussion at the hearings is "serious and acute, especially in the Irkutsk Region. One must be able not only to find solutions, but also to lobby for them competently and monitor their implementation. Therefore, it is very important for you to decide what work to assign to the Public Chamber, and we, in turn, will try to actively solve the tasks set before us."
Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Irkutsk Region Kuzma Aldarov told those gathered about how things stand with the implementation of the state program for the development of agriculture in the Irkutsk Region for 2008-2012. Greeting those present, he said that the ministry is always ready for dialogue with villagers, because the work they do is a common one. And, of course, certain difficulties have to be faced. Thus, this year it was possible to obtain 884 million rubles from the federal budget for the development of agriculture in the region, and 252.6 million from the regional budget. Funding from the regional budget, compared with last year (when 828 million were allocated), has decreased almost threefold. One of the main tasks currently facing the ministry is large-scale work on state orders for budgetary and municipal organizations. K. R. Aldarov also made a proposal: the Public Chamber could take part in work to solve the problem of rising electricity tariffs, which are simply ruinous for villagers.
The head of the agricultural department of the administration of the Zalari District, chairwoman of the Zalari branch of the Russian Union of Rural Women Albina Potan, in her speech raised the problem of the poor quality of roads: "The roads between villages are so bad that even an ambulance often cannot get through. What can we say about the fact that for this reason we cannot organize milk collection points in the villages." The second problem typical of the Zalari District is that graduates of the agricultural academy do not return home, because they are not provided with normal social conditions. "In Zalari, School No. 1, which is in an emergency condition, has been closed," A. Sh. Potan said, "where 900 children will study now is unknown." By the way, Governor of the Irkutsk Region Dmitry Mezentsev has been informed about the problems of this school.
The head of the Agro-Industrial Union of the Irkutsk Region, Pavel Sobolev, suggested focusing attention on the following problem: "We have our own gas, but we do not use it! Our natural resources should work first and foremost for ourselves."
The chairwoman of the Kuytun branch of the Russian Union of Rural Women, Valentina Grigorieva, spoke about the fact that the main problem is not simply the lack of money. First of all, it is necessary to form an active core that can competently formulate pressing problems. "No one but ourselves will solve our problems," V. K. Grigorieva said, "but we must act competently and step by step." As an example, she cited the experience of the village of Karazey in the Kuytun District, where public work is organized at the proper level.
Assistant to the deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk Region O. G. Kankova, Irina Petshik, identified another problem that needs to be moved into the category of priority tasks for resolution: the need to create the right motivation for young people. "The folk wisdom 'where you were born, there you are useful' is very true," I. S. Petshik said. "It must be instilled in the young. After all, if there are no young people in a village, then there are no children. The village grows old and gradually declines.
General Director of the Oil and Fat Combine, member of the Public Chamber of the Irkutsk Region Tamara Baymasheva knows firsthand about the problems of agriculture. Therefore, her speech was lively and memorable. "I often go out to farms," Tamara Ivanovna said, "and I see how hard it is for villagers to live today. Today they buy a liter of milk for 8 rubles! Milk is cheaper than water! How can that be?"
Another problem highlighted by T. I. Baymasheva is the lack of specialists. Moreover, people have forgotten how to work, have stopped being interested in the final result: "They say that our energy tariffs are high. Yes, indeed. But why, in that case, should we not learn to conserve heat? Perhaps we should start insulating and begin saving electricity, instead of treating it so carelessly as we are used to?" T. I. Baymasheva draws a disappointing conclusion: the village is degenerating. But while the process has not become irreversible, this problem must be addressed, spoken about openly and frankly. And at the same time remember: no one from outside will come to us and do anything. Only ourselves!
The same was said by the chairwoman of the "Revival of the Siberian Land" foundation, Elena Tvorogova: "When people tell me that the village is such a black hole... I do not believe it, because if people themselves want to change their lives for the better, then they will succeed." E. Tvorogova spoke about the program "Effective Management of a Municipal Entity," which is successfully operating at several pilot sites. So successfully that housing prices have even risen there. This last fact speaks quite eloquently about many things. And above all, that the village has a future.
Consultant-expert of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation Alexander Shavelkin spoke about the need to pay attention to the building of civil society in the countryside. Only then will people become socially responsible.
The head of the Irkutsk Region society of large families "Bereginya," Galina Solyankina, made a specific proposal to the Public Chamber: to support the developed program "A Big House for a Big Family," according to which large families would have the right to receive a plot of land free of charge, as well as a preferential loan for building a large house.
Albina Shirobokova specified Galina Solyankina's proposal: "Give land to the family. It does not matter which one - large or not large. If there is a family that is ready to build a house and live, let it have such an opportunity. And if this young family also wants to build a house in the countryside and live and work there, then give it free timber for building that house as well!"...
Summing up what had been said, the chairwoman of the commission on economic development and entrepreneurship, competitiveness of industrial and agricultural production, Nina Suvorova, noted: "For the fourth hour we have been discussing the topic, and I do not see anyone indifferent. The thing is that today's situation does not allow us to sit it out, because behind each of us stand large teams for which we are responsible. And one more thing: the matter is decided in each individual family, in each specific village, and not at all in the government. That means now is the time to show our civic position."
Those gathered supported N. I. Suvorova. It was also proposed that the Public Chamber of the Irkutsk Region must take part in the governor's meeting on agriculture, which is scheduled for the near future.