SMEs will have access to a preferential investment lending program

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development is restarting the program of preferential investment lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in priority sectors of the economy. The implementation of the program is envisaged by the national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy" with an annual credit limit of 100 billion rubles in 2025-2030. This was reported to "Izvestia" in the Ministry on January 30.

The program will be implemented jointly with the Bank of Russia and will combine subsidies at the expense of the federal budget, as well as preferential funding from the Bank of Russia, which will limit the risks of the borrower.

Small and medium-sized enterprises with their main activities in the spheres of manufacturing, transportation and storage, tourism, as well as in information technology and science and technology, will be able to obtain loans for investment projects.

"We understand that development is impossible without investment, so for the qualitative development of the SME sector, to achieve the national goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was decided to maintain the access of companies from priority industries to preferential investment lending," explained Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Tatyana Ilyushnikova.

In addition, as part of the implementation of the program, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development will continue to subsidize loans issued in 2019-2024 to SMEs, as well as self-employed citizens, under the 1764 program, which will allow banks participating in the 1764 program to maintain the preferential rate for SMEs on previously issued loans.Also, over six years, loans worth 4.7 trillion rubles were issued under this program.

"The second part of funding under the 1764 program assumes annual volumes of new loan disbursements in the amount of Br100 billion. Preferential loans will be issued less, but they will become more targeted - we will concentrate support where it is really necessary for the formation of new markets, industries, for the introduction of elements of robotization, the development of high-tech companies, creative economy," summed up Tatiana Ilyushnikova.

Earlier, on January 13, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Economic Development Tatyana Ilyushnikova told "Izvestia" that the Ministry sees no prerequisites for raising the income threshold for the self-employed. According to her, the income threshold for the self-employed is Br2.4 million, if divided by 12 months, it's Br200 thousand per month. Taking into account weekends and holidays, this amount is higher than the average Russian salary - according to the data for September, it amounted to Br84.3 thousand.