23 March 2004 12:44
Russian defence minister outlines plans for military housing
Moscow, 23 March: The Ministry of Defence is starting to create a housing stock to accommodate servicemen on tours of
duty at military units and formations, as well as developing a savings- and mortgage-based system to provide the
military with their own homes, Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said today when welcoming President Vladimir Putin to a
conference at the ministry on housing provision for service personnel.
According to the minister, it is planned to create 334,000 flats by 2015. Ivanov explained that this "includes
existing living quarters". The stock will total 480,000 flats [figures as received], which is equivalent to the
projected establishment of officers and warrant officers. These quarters are primarily to be sited at military units and
formations on permanent readiness and military personnel will only be able to use them for the duration of their tour of
duty, Ivanov stressed.
The savings- and mortgage-based system envisages a personal account for every serviceman, regardless of whether he
had a home before joining the service. The ministry offers a guarantee that over time the amount built up in the account
will be sufficient for the purchase of a flat. Ivanov said that "a sum equivalent to the price of 3 sq. m of
housing" would be paid annually into this account. He stressed that the advantage of the savings- and
mortgage-based system is that it should be seen as an incentive for conscientious service in the armed forces and that
only those personnel who serve out their time will be able to make full use of the system. For example, an officer who
does not serve 10 years after graduating from a military higher education establishment will lose the right to the
accumulated funds. On honourable discharge after 10-20 years of service he will have access to the accumulated funds and
may "make use of them to resolve his housing problem independently". Having served more than 20 years, an
officer will be able "to own a luxury home".
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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