The total number of the jobless in Russia may amount to seven million people in 2009, said on Thursday to reporters Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development Maxim Topilin.
"I believe that the total number of the jobless in 2009 will be within nine million," he said. However, Topilin made a reservation that it is now difficult to speak of exact forecasts, and all depends on the situation in the world economy.
The deputy minister noted that the government bodies make much to maintain the situation on the labour market. "There will be positive moves in the car industry, " the minister continued, "since the state appropriated money to support the industry." Topilin believes that "there will be likely no leaps. Leaps can be in regions: all depends on the regional economy strategy".
Topilin noted that the ministry now signs agreements with regions on implementing regional programmes of employment of population. "The federal budget appropriates 95 percent of funds for this programmes," Topilin underlined.
He also stated that 43.7 billion roubles, allocated from the federal budget to buttress the situation in the labour market, virtually doubled the sum, earlier allocated for the problem of unemployment. According to Topilin, 66 regional programmes, submitted to the ministry, provide for creation of 800,000 jobs of temporary nature in 2009.
Speaking of figures on supposed unemployment, presented according to ILO methods, he said that their polls involved only 0.06 percent of population. Therefore, these data cannot be precise.
The deputy minister quoted data at the start of the year: the number of jobless, both registered and unregistered, was 5.8 million people, which is 7.7 percent of gainfully employed population.
Topilin expressed supposition that there will be a rise in wage arrears by February 1. "I believe that wage arrears will rise. However, this situation is characteristic of every year between January 1 and February 1," Topilin stressed.
Source: Itar-TASS
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