Kamchatka has adopted a $33+m three-year program designed to support and develop small and medium-sized businesses, RIA Novosti reports, citing a source in the regional government.

The program reportedly calls for implementation of material and information support of SMEs, including assistance in conducting exhibitions; consulting; staff training and retraining; and measures to improve the image of Russia’s entrepreneur among the populace.

According to the source, at the moment, there are around 1,500 small companies and more than 12,000 individual entrepreneurs in Kamchatka; their aggregate annual turnover is reportedly worth more than $830m.