The Russian government has preliminarily approved a proposal from the Samara Region government to allot RUB2bn towards the modernisation of two AvtoVAX subsidiaries in January–July 2011, Oleg Fursov, head of the region’s employment department, told local media.

The funds could be provided to create new jobs at AvtoVAZ-Perspektiva and Reforming-Tsentr, which currently employ 3,500 people, Fursov told Prime-Tass.

The government could provide the funds as part of an employment program for AvtoVAZ subsidiaries that is to be approved by 25 December.

In the wake of the financial slowdown, AvtoVAZ re-assigned part of its workforce to jobs at these subsidiaries, which were set up to focus on the reconstruction and modernisation of production.