NEWS

The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed the acceptance of applications for banks’ participation in a consumer loan subsidy programme in 2010. The ministry approved 104 lenders that will in 2010 participate in the low-interest auto loan programme.

Consumer loans will be subsidised within a scheme that proved effective in 2009. The terms for participating in the low-interest auto loan programme remain the same: a minimum prepayment of 15 percent of the cost of the car; ceiling cost of the auto 600 thousand roubles; low-interest loans are issued to not only buy cars but lightweight commercial vehicles; the payback period is at most 36 months.

March 4, Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev was on a visit to the island city of Sviyazhsk, the Zelenodolsk Municipal District, Tatarstan.

The total number of broadband internet end-users in Tatarstan is 601.2 thousand. Of them, 493.4 thousand subscribers use the xDsl and Ethernet technologies, while 107.8 thousand the 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMax technologies. The number of active users of the GPRS/EDGE and 3G technologies has totalled 928.2 thousand.

The Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange and Republic of Tatarstan have today signed a cooperation agreement in Moscow.

The signees were Prime Minister of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and MICEX President Konstantin Korischenko. The document is to help develop an innovative infrastructure in Tatarstan, attract investments to implement projects on manufacturing high-technology products, and develop small and medium business and public private partnership in the innovative sector of the economy.

March 3, the meeting of the Republican Council for Charity was held at the Representative Building at the Kazan Kremlin. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev attended the event.

Mintimer Shaimiev made a donation using the Dobryi terminal (Kind Terminal) before the meeting of the Republican Council for Charity held at Kazan Kremlin on March 3.

The Gosstroinadzor construction inspectorate many times returns the budget funds spent on its maintenance, stated Prime Minister of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov at the inspectorate’s end-of-year meeting. The inspectorate’s head Rais Mubarakshin in 2009 provided oversight of construction, reconstruction and renovation of 4,733 major sites. The inspectorate conducted 8,080 inspections, which is 34 percent more than in 2008. Over the course of the inspections, 4,615 grave breaches were revealed, 2,454 of which were in due time removed by construction participants. A total of 3,272 resolutions on administrative responsibility were issued, based on the facts. The total amount of imposed fines was 71,268 thousand roubles.

The bigger part of the revealed breaches are violations of construction standards in terms of technology and materials affecting the facilities’s safety.

Rewarding ceremony of winners of the all-Russian contest organized by Russia Ministry of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy will be held on March 10 in Moscow as part of the international exhibition “Sport 10”. HC Ak Bars and FC Rubin have been awarded the title “Sports Team of the Year” in winter and summers sports group. Ak Bars forward, Honoured Master of Sports Danis Zaripov has become athlete of the year in winter sports group.

Oil companies in Tatarstan in February recovered 2,487.7 thousand tonnes of oil, which is 100.4 percent to February 2009. Over the two moths, 5.246 million tonnes, an increased of 0.6 percent versus last year, has been extracted. Independent oil companies recovered 1,063.9 thousand tonnes, which is 0.4 percent more than in January-February 2009. JSC Tatneft in February extracted 1,984.5 thousand tonnes of oil, which is 100.5 percent to February 2009 and 101.9 percent of the target. The company said over this year’s two months 4,182.4 thousand tonnes, or 100.7 percent to January –February 2009, has been recovered (76.8 thousand tonnes above the target).

Director of the world’s first Bank Muamalat, which strictly follows Shariah rules, Faruk Abdullah Alveyni and the third secretary of the Republic of Indonesia Embassy in Russia Enjaya Diana paid an introductory visit to Russian Islamic University. Rafik Mukhametshin and Faruk Alveyni came to an agreement on cooperation between the bank and Russian Islamic University as part of training specialists in Islamic economics and their further education in Indonesia, the university press-service informs.