Original Material
The Russian government is pulling big strings to fund new social programs on Putin’s orders. Here’s where the two trillion rubles are going, at a glance.
In his January 2020 address to the Federal Assembly, President Vladimir Putin didn’t just announce radical constitutional reforms. He also promised the Russian people a series of social welfare boosts, from free hot lunches for elementary schoolers to increased allowances for families with children. To make those proposals a reality, the new executive cabinet led by Mikhail Mishustin has introduced a State Duma bill amending the federal budget. In the next three years, the cabinet intends to spend more than two trillion rubles ($31.2 billion), an increase of approximately 13 percent over the social spending already allocated by the federal government. Here’s where those two trillion rubles are headed:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly payments for guardians of children ages three through seven | 159.2 | 289.7 | 301.3 |
Maternity allowances | 122.4 | 210.7 | 265.8 |
Two-thirds compensation for income lost due to investment tax deductions for organizations | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Allowances for lead classroom teachers (5,000 rubles each) | 25.4 | 76.3 | 76.3 |
Hot lunches for elementary schools | 21.8 | 43.6 | 43.6 |
Primary and secondary school expansions | 20.3 | 47.3 | 44.5 |
Financial aid for low-income individuals | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Modernization projects for primary and secondary schools focused on the arts | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Modernization projects for primary healthcare | 50 | 50 | |
Expansion of ‘social contract’ welfare programs to all Russian citizens | 22.2 | 22.2 | |
Increased enrollment targets for colleges and universities | 2.5 | 11.2 | |
TOTAL | 393.3 | 786.5 | 859.1 |