This means that student dormitories will be soon equipped with Wi-Fi and people with disabilities will get an internationally classified status.
"The talk was highly informative and specific," the prime minister said. "They brought up problems that we have been discussing in some form or another, but the problems were formulated in a way that often seemed new, while certain other matters, I must say, we do not even notice."
The prime minister was mainly affected by the Popular Front's complaints about the state of student dormitories and the living conditions of the disabled and senior citizens who live alone. Yesterday an activist of the Young Guard told Vladimir Putin that the poor conditions of student accommodations make it impossible to provide the dormitories with the Internet access. The Education Minister Andrei Fursenko reported that 21 new dormitories currently under construction will get wireless Internet. This year alone, 2.5 billion roubles was spent on the major renovation of 70 buildings in need of repairs. Some eight billion roubles will be spent on the construction of new buildings in the next two years.
"Within the next two academic years we will provide all universities with free Wi-Fi access," Communications and Mass Media Minister Igor Shchegolev reported. "The problem is some of the rectors do not want to deal with the companies that offer related projects."
"Eighteen months ago, on Student Day, the ministry granted a free Wi-Fi access point as a gift to the Moscow State University. We acted as contractors," said Vera Kuznetsova, Deputy CEO of Tsentralny Telegraf company. "When we arrived we understood they did not need free Wi-Fi as the internal providers were building a small business there."
"We had to tackle some impossible tasks. First, they said we must not tamper with the walls, as it is a building of historical significance. Later they said there could be no Wi-Fi coverage in the classrooms and lecture theatres; then they said the access point had to be located in the park. As if it could be installed on a statue. We did manage to create a public access point in the park. Now they have an access point and equipment, but nobody needs this network. Apparently, everybody promotes their own interests," she concluded.
Another problem that the prime minister was concerned with was the situation with the blind, deaf and mute. Now they have a general disability status.
"These people are in a very difficult situation but not when it comes to support from the government, which is minimal," the prime minister said.
Deputy Healthcare Minister Maksim Topilin reported that a project is scheduled for the next year in a number of regions that will give an internationally classified status to the disabled. At the moment, they are only classified by the first, second. or third group of disability. Their certificates do not even specify the type of disability. The international standards require that disabilities are classified in order to ensure a better service from the medical staff and officials.
However, Putin was particularly interested in the situation with the blind, deaf and mute. Topilin did not propose any ready solutions but promised to help the blind who are assisted by guide dogs. Currently, the government spends only 10,000 roubles per month on maintenance of the animals. This figure has remained unchanged since 2005. Now the allowance is supposed to grow nearly twice, up to 17,000 roubles. Topilin promised to introduce the necessary amendments to the government this Friday.
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Eight billion roubles will be spent on the construction of new buildings in the course of two years.
By Anastasia Novikova and Yelena Shishkunova