President starts working trip to Gomel oblast today

Today Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko is starting a two-day working trip to Gomel oblast today to visit the regions affected by the Chernobyl catastrophe. The head of state will survey the regional efforts to re-focus the production of the Chernobyl-affected agricultural businesses, provide clean agricultural produce, improve communal and medical services, and strengthen material and technical base of the rural schools. The Belarusian leader is expected to visit a number of social and industrial facilities of the oblast. The country has allocated over Br1 trillion for the Chernobyl relief efforts over the recent ten years with the emphasis on cushioning the health impact and creating normal living environment in the area. In 2006 the budgetary subventions for Gomel oblast will amount to Br33,6 billion worth of capital investments. Some 353 new flats are to be built for the people who were affected by the catastrophe and have privileges thereby. This year a conduit and a water treatment facility will be completed in Buda-Koshelevo, gas supply will be extended to 793 houses (32,3km of gas pipe will be built). Under the Chernobyl recovery program for 2006-2010, the settlements of Mikulichi, Ryzhkov, Ugly and Maleiki, (the Bragin region) will be supplied with gas.