VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
“Relying on the experience of the national project, we are now launching regional programmes for upgrading healthcare. The regions of the Urals Federal District will receive an additional 50 billion roubles in 2011-2012 for their implementation, in particular for the repairs of hospitals and clinics, the purchase of new equipment and the introduction of modern medical standards. It is essential to support primary healthcare centres, especially in the countryside.”
“We have paid special attention to pregnant women and newborns. About eight million women and four million babies received medical care as part of the maternity certificate programme. It should be noted that an efficient and competitive environment has been already established in this healthcare sector: a woman has the right to choose the maternity clinic that will provide her with the most comfortable conditions for her care.”
“As you know, five years ago we began implementing a national project in Russia’s agroindustrial sector and then used this project as the basis for a government programme to support the sector. We have invested over 440 billion roubles from the federal budget within this framework. In total, taking into account regional allocations, 700 billion roubles have been put to support agriculture over the past years. And experience has shown that we have been making the right decisions – these investments are now paying off.”
“Steps have been taken lately to develop the education system as part of the national project Education. I think that a great deal has been done.However, whenever there is a large-scale project, there are typically more problems that we haven’t solved than ones that we have. This is to be expected. It is a natural part of the process. In higher education, we are counting on the strong, and I believe that it is the proper approach. We are setting up a network of national federal universities and research universities, and will earmark additional funding for them.”
“Five years ago we launched the priority national project Health, which has proved to be very effective, showing that good results can be achieved if we concentrate financial and administrative resources on high-priority issues. We mentioned several figures today that support this. This national project has paved the way for the next step in this critical area of government activity, the modernisation of the Russian healthcare system.”
"Also, I see a danger in the bureaucracy growing accustomed to national projects and seeing them as nothing special. We cannot and will not tolerate this outlook. I mentioned this already at the beginning, and you well know that the national projects were successful because we concentrated our administrative and financial resources on them and imposed special oversight on the use of these resources. And these ingredients for success cannot be forgotten. Because the goals pursued by national projects are too important. We cannot let these projects become routine."
“Cash incentives for local clinic personnel will continue in 2010-2012 as part of the Healthcare project; the programme will encompass about 315,000 medical personnel. Anti-infection programmes involving broader regular checkups and vaccination will be continued, annually covering 22 million people each. Government programmes to support treatment of cardiovascular disorders, cancer and tuberculosis will be continued, too. We will be improving medical care for victims of traffic accidents. As you know, we have already achieved positive results here, and we will certainly continue on this track.”
"President Dmitry Medvedev spoke in his state of the nation address about the New School programme. The government is giving schools and education in general a lot of attention. We have a priority national project in education. We will continue this project."
"Also, there is another ugly problem, absolutely unacceptable in a civilised society. I would like to draw your attention to it now. Unfortunately, child abuse is still quite frequent in Russia, and orphans sometimes fall victim to it. There have been flagrant and ugly child abuse cases reported in orphanages and sometimes even in adoptive families. I am asking prosecution authorities and social services to keep an eye on the issue, put additional effort into it and submit additional proposals on legal protection against child abuse."
"I also think that adoptive parents should be selected and prepared with more discrimination. It is not a question of arranging just any adoption for a child, but to give the child a real family and a safe and happy life."
"I would like us to discuss support for orphaned children and children with disabilities. This year's federal allocation for this purpose is 70 billion roubles. Orphans have regular compulsory medical check-ups, and the number of medical centres providing high-tech medical services to children with disabilities is growing."
"A programme has started this year to provide long-distance training for children with disabilities, giving them the opportunity of receiving a high-quality modern education. This is essential for their integration in society as adults, for successful careers and reasonable incomes and high living standards. In the first half of 2009, over 2,500 children with disabilities enrolled in long-distance education programmes, including those involved in the pilot projects. This number sounds fine unless you consider that as many as 35,000 children need this special long-distance training. I believe that each of them should be given the opportunity by 2012."
"Now I would like to talk separately and in more detail about the Housing Project. <....> Unfortunately, today the scale of construction has decreased by almost 20%. Mortgage has abruptly fallen by six times. The construction industry is going through hard times. Let me recall that so far in 2009 we spent about 450 billion roubles on the government housing policy. We would have wished to spend more, and it might have been worth it, but it was simply impossible. This audience is competent and everyone understands the value of 450 billion roubles. This is huge money which should be used effectively to maintain demand, and to encourage mortgage and housing construction."
"In effect, the government is acting as the key player in the housing market, and hence, is capable of actively influencing pricing and supply structure, and of encouraging the construction of low-income housing, especially low-rise dwellings."
“I would like to emphasise that the cost of one square metre of low-income housing should not exceed 30,000 roubles. This can and should be achieved, and not at the expense of the quality of the housing or the comfort. Importantly, we should proceed from the premise that no less than 40% of our citizens should be able to purchase such flats.”
"In 2009, two federal centres for advanced medical care and research were opened in Russia, with equipment being set up in four more centres. I would like to once again remind you that we discussed at length the need to create them, debating whether it would be more reasonable to concentrate efforts in the federal centre. Practice has shown that the creation of such facilities in the regions is justified. The level of service improves, more high skills specialists are employed in specific areas, and more complex operations are carried out."
"The Government has prepared a series of resolutions to bolster the healthcare and social assistance system. A total of 12 billion roubles is to be allocated in order to offset a shortfall in revenues of territorial healthcare insurance funds. Another 2.2 billion roubles will be allotted for high-tech healthcare, with 2.3 billion roubles earmarked for rehabilitation equipment for disabled people. I met with the heads of organisations for the disabled, and agreed with them on the said measures. This decision has been made."
"Education and healthcare are undergoing an all-round transformation to improve their service quality and to encourage the best specialists. These programmes are under way. The average salary for teachers in the regions - I'd like to note: not in all regions, but only in the regions where complex education modernisation projects are being implemented - have increased by 30%."
"This year, some 450 billion roubles has been allocated for the national projects. These are considerably large funds, and I would like to highlight that we did not economise in this area. I would also like to add that a number of new programmes have been launched within the framework of the national projects."
“I am determined that our main goal today is to bolster the positive developments that have been achieved thanks to the national projects, and to use an active social policy both as a tool to improve the living standards of our citizens and an effective anti-crisis measure.<...> For example, birth rates rose 4.7% within the first half of the year, which is the result of last year's measures; last year, as you know, birth rates grew as well. Death rates fell 3.7%, with infant mortality dropping 10%. As a result, natural population decline diminished by 30%.”
"As for the demographic programmes, we must keep their funding intact despite all the difficulties involved in the drafting of the next year's budget. It is perfectly obvious that these programmes produce results. They help us achieve our goals. Starting next year, women will be able to use maternity capital for the declared purposes."
“We are also planning to enhance the quality of the social environment and public health, to make housing more affordable and comfortable, and to create an effective system for ensuring personal security of citizens and protecting them against crime and emergencies. To implement these tasks, we drafted a number of special programmes six years ago. We called them priority national projects. <…> In general, the Government's close attention to these areas has proved very effective even despite small additional funding.”
“Allow me to recall that life expectancy in Russia has increased by almost three years as a result of the implementation of the national projects. Needless to say, this result was achieved not only due to the national projects but by our intensive efforts in many areas. This achievement was primarily brought about by the improvement of the economic and social situation in the country.”
“The adjustment of the federal budget is nearing completion. The Government will discuss its new version in the near future. In this context, I'd like to emphasise once again that priority funding of national projects will be guaranteed in line with our previous agreement. I expect our regional and municipal colleagues to follow the same principles in adjusting their respective budgets. This is essential because national projects have proved their economic and social effectiveness. It would be a mistake to waste what has been done.”
“I want all tasks, in particular those concerning the forthcoming budget expenses, to be prioritised in a more precise manner. We reiterated on several occasions that we are not going to save on priority national projects - they remain one of the key areas of our activity in the social sphere and in some branches of the economy. But that does not make redundant the need to justify expenditure.”
"We have discussed on a number of occasions the need to optimise and increase the efficiency of budgetary expenses. We have allocated huge funds for priority national projects, and they should work with maximum efficiency - to both address social problems, and, which is of vital importance under the current circumstances, to stimulate demand in the economy."