The “Young Reindeer Herder” new program within the framework of the regional state program “Socio-economic development of Yakutia Arctic zone and indigenous peoples of Yakut north until 2020-2024” will start in the republic in 2020, Yakutia 24 TV channel reports with the reference to TASS.
Under the program, reindeer herders under the age of 35 will be allocated one million rubles each to improve housing conditions. Such measures will allow young workers to start building their own housing or buy it on the secondary market.
“We want to support young workers who are engaged in reindeer husbandry, because we have problems with staff. We will give one million rubles at a time to improve housing conditions for reindeer herders under the age of 35 in 2020. A reindeer herder must also remain in the region, and he must have experience – which we initially offered to be 5 years, then reduced it to one,” told Mikhail Pogodaev, Deputy Minister for Arctic Development.
He added that the state program is also building houses and bases to improve working conditions on the sites of nomadic reindeer herders.
“Many reindeer herders live in canvas tents, while living conditions are important for families in the harshest winter time,” Pogodaev noted.
It is reported that as for 2019, the number of reindeer in Yakutia is more than 162 thousand heads. Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 reindeer husbandry enterprises have been operating, with about 1,3 thousand people working.