On January 27 at an extended board session of Tatarstan Ministry of Culture Minister of Culture Airat Sibagatullin addressed Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov with a suggestion to increase the amount of the State Prize of the Republic of Tatarstan named after Gabdulla Tukai up to 500,000 rubles.

The event took place at Tatar State Academic Theater named after Galiaskar Kamal with participation of Chief of Staff of Tatarstan’s President Office, Board Chairman of Presidential Cultural Support Fund Asgat Safarov, Deputy Chairman of Tatarstan State Council Rimma Ratnikova, heads of departments and cultural workers.

To the point, currently the State Prize named after Gabdulla Tukai makes 300,000 rubles. The prize is awarded for the most outstanding and publicly recognized works of literature and art, which made a considerable contribution to development of domestic and national culture as well as outstanding scientific researches in the field of art and literature studies.

Rustam Minnikhanov said that Airat Sibagatullin’s proposal to increase the size of the State Prize named after Gabdulla Tukai would be supported.

Tatarstan President presented money certificates for reaching the best figures in organization of work at municipal cultural institutions to cultural institutions.

Minister of Culture Airat Sibagatullin reported that the amount of expenses of the Tatarstan consolidated budget for culture in 2013 made 8 bln 713 mln rubles, including 5.3 bln from the regional budget and 3 bln 353 mln rubles from municipal budgets. The expenses for culture increased by 29 percent compared to 2012.

Speaking about the average salary for cultural workers, Airat Sibagatullin said that planned figures for 2013 were exceeded.