25 million
urban residents in Russia would be willing to move to the countryside if the necessary conditions were created.
The list of conditions that would make urban dwellers willing to go to live in the Russian hinterlands is impressive. It includes a moving allowance and favourable conditions to purchase or lease property, as well as reduced taxation. In addition to comprehensive state assistance when moving, potential migrants would want their new places of residence to have infrastructure that is as well developed as it is in the city, as well as jobs and salaries that are on par with those in the city.
If centralized water and gas supply lines are excluded from this list, then only 7 million people are prepared to move to rural areas assuming subsequent employment in agriculture following their move. If giving up close proximity to healthcare and education facilities were required, then only 1 million urban residents would agree to such a move.
This information is presented in a study by Maria Neuvazhaevaya, a graduate of the Master’s programme in the Faculty of Sociology. Her study, called ‘Motives, conditions and consequences of urban migration to the countryside in Russia,’ will be made available October 16 on the OPEC.ru website (in Russian).
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