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The government plan does not solve the most important social problems

"The federal budget is in danger of becoming an annex to the Pension Fund." The government program provides for more than 1 trillion rubles to be allocated to support the social sphere. The amount is serious, but there are doubts about the effectiveness of its use
The government's anti-crisis program certainly contains the right words. For example, “not to support inefficient production at the expense of taxpayers”, “strengthen the role of the state only during the crisis”. Ideologically, the program is built reasonably, if only because the priorities in it are given to social issues. It is obvious that the government needs to increase social spending: after all, the crisis hit the population very painfully (a sharp increase in unemployment, massive reductions and delays in wages, a surge in inflation), and it is possible that the force of this blow will be even more powerful in the future. However, it is fundamentally important not only the amount of funds allocated for the "social program", but also the direction of financial assistance. In the social sphere, four crisis areas are now distinguished.

Firstly , due to the fact that the risks associated with the state of health of Russians have increased dramatically, it is time to move to a new level of healthcare organization. To do this, it is necessary to finance a program of state guarantees for the provision of medical services at the level of 6–7% of GDP and develop voluntary medical insurance.

Secondly , it is necessary to radically restructure the system of secondary specialized and higher education, for which even more money needs to be allocated, no matter how paradoxical it may sound in a situation of reduced budgetary opportunities.

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The third problem is that the time has come for a fundamental change in the labor market in the country. A significant number of specialists will simply not be in demand in two or three years - for example, managers or those who are employed in the real sector, but work on obsolete equipment. Now the "bubble" associated with "superfluous" professions has burst in the labor market, and the released workers must be passed through the new education system. The other side of the problem is the high risk of long-term unemployment in the country. The current maximum benefit - 4,900 rubles - is actually a poverty benefit, and it is not insurance, but budgetary. It must be allocated to those families of the unemployed whose incomes are below the subsistence level. Unemployment benefits should be an incentive to look for work.

Fourth , despite the government's numerous victorious reports, the pension issue remains on the agenda. On the one hand, by the end of this year we will have 5 pension indexations, and this will allow pensioners to live more or less normally this year. But the real problem lies in 2010-2011, when spending on pension obligations will increase even more and the budget will not be replenished at pre-crisis levels. If adequate action is not taken, during these two years the government risks bringing the federal budget to the level of supplement to the Pension Fund.

Unfortunately, not a word is said about these four problems in the program. Therefore, it is pointless to talk about the effectiveness of the anti-crisis plan today. Moreover, the program does not spell out the most important thing - the mechanism for its implementation. There is also not a word in the text about reforming the state apparatus, without which such a program has no chance of being realized. It would be right not to limit the matter to the rapid adoption of an anti-crisis plan in the Duma, but to create a permanent institution with the participation of not only government members, but also representatives of public organizations, business and experts, which would monitor the implementation of all measures. If the taxpayers themselves control the spending of anti-crisis budgetary funds, the chances of achieving the social goals of the program will only increase.

Key government measures to strengthen social protection, preserve and create jobs for 2009 1. Co-financing of regional programs to reduce tension in the labor market - 43.7 billion rubles.

Increase in unemployment benefits - 33.9 billion rubles.
Increase in allocations to the Pension Fund - 315.6 billion rubles.
Indexation of state benefits, social payments and the cost of a set of social services, taking into account the new inflation forecast - 12.7 billion rubles.

Scientific Director of the Center for Social Policy of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences