Translated material
So that it doesn't go out
Russians are more concerned about gas in their own homes than Gazprom's income.
The All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) conducted a survey to find out the attitude of Russians to the level of gasification of the country and gas policy.Gasification of the country, identified by the president along with national projects and a priority of state policy, seems to be a pressing problem for Russian citizens.
Exactly two-thirds of Russians believe that even with the ever-increasing global demand for blue fuel, the priority for the development of the Russian gas industry should be further gasification of Russian territories. Albeit at the expense of a possible reduction in gas sales abroad.
There are noticeably fewer of those who advocate a further increase in the volume of energy exports and the development of the economy, as well as the social sphere, using the oil and gas dollars received (23%). Apparently, this is due to the fact that the growth of energy exports and, accordingly, Russia’s gold and foreign exchange reserves has not yet particularly affected the level and quality of life of the vast majority of the country’s citizens.
Among the supporters of increasing gas exports are primarily the youngest and most wealthy Russians (31 and 37%, respectively). While the vast majority of elderly and low-income Russians note the need for further gasification of the country (70 and 71%, respectively).
The need for gasification is connected not so much with the low “return” of exports, but with the truly high level of scarcity of blue fuel in many regions of the country. If we talk about the country as a whole, then, according to data obtained during a May survey by VTsIOM, in the places of residence of the majority of Russians (73%) there is access to main gas supplies. At the same time, a quarter of respondents do not have such access. Of these, only 8% say that work is underway to bring gas to their settlement. While according to 18%, this is not expected in their place of residence.
The main problem is that gasification of the country is proceeding unevenly, its scale varies depending on the type of settlement and federal district. Thus, while cities and villages are almost fully supplied with gas communications, according to their residents, less than half of the respondents are provided with gas.
The most tense situation in this regard is in the Far East. The vast majority of respondents representing different types of settlements in the Far Eastern Federal District (82%) are deprived of access to blue fuel, and 60% of them do not even see the prospect of changing this situation. According to respondents, the Siberian and Ural federal districts are also among the least gas-rich (58 and 42%, respectively).
And vice versa, the Volga, Southern, and Central federal districts are provided with gas, according to respondents, almost completely (94, 89 and 81%, respectively).
The survey also showed that not all Russians use mains gas. Of the 79% provided with gas, 64% are provided with gas, while a fifth (15%) use bottled gas. At the same time, in the houses of 21% of respondents there is no gas at all. For a country that is the world's main gas exporter, this is a significant indicator.
Main gas pipelines are the prerogative of metropolitan residents and residents of large cities (71 and 80%). Users of bottled gas are primarily rural residents (30%).
In general, it can be stated that the problem of gasification of the Russian hinterland is considered by Russians as one of the most important government tasks. At the same time, Russians do not consider this problem to be as pressing as other national projects - healthcare (27%), affordable housing (26%), agriculture (23%), education (12%).
The all-Russian poll by VTsIOM was conducted on May 2-5, 2006. 1,600 people were surveyed in 153 settlements in 46 regions, territories and republics of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.