Vladimir Putin, who has not yet announced his presidential nomination, has already promised gifts to the population. From 2018, new benefits will appear for families with children, a mortgage subsidy program, and maternity capital will be extended. The price of gifts is more than 200 billion rubles. The money has already been included in the draft budget for 2018-2020. - in the presidential reserve.

The measures should stimulate the birth rate, Putin explained. After the baby boom of 2000, it began to fall: in January-September 2017, it practically did not grow in annual terms, and the natural population decline exceeded 100,000 people against natural increase for the same period in 2016 by 18,000 people.

money for first child

From 2018, families who have given birth to their first child will receive a monthly living wage per child until the child is one and a half years old. For each region, this minimum is different, but on average in 2018–2020. will exceed 10,000 rubles. Assistance will be targeted - only poor families will be able to count on benefits. In total, the government will spend more than 144 billion rubles on this.

Who counts as poor is unclear, federal official admits: no system unified register of people and households, the real structure and level of poverty is unclear. You can do without the registry, argues the director of the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting of the RANEPA Tatyana Maleva: we are talking about people who do not have enough money for current consumption. If the family income is less than 1.5 living wage, she can get into the program, she says. In the first half of 2017, 14.4% of the total population had incomes below the subsistence level.

People are already receiving benefits for caring for their first child up to a year and a half. But in the second quarter of 2017, it was slightly above 3,000 rubles. The new allowance can become a serious measure of support, Maleva believes: many people even receive a salary below the subsistence level, and families cannot decide not only to have a second or third child, even the first. The number of families with two or three children is growing faster than families without them, she says. For a family in the region, which is on the verge of poverty, this is a very big help, agrees another federal official.

Capital on drink?

Another measure is the extension of the program maternity capital until the end of 2021 (previously it was supposed to end at the end of 2018). The purposes for which such money can be spent will also expand: especially needy families will be able to receive monthly payments (the same amount as the new benefits for first child until the child is one and a half years old. Capital can also be spent on nannies caring for children.

The measure can turn the program into a new allowance, the official is skeptical, but it will not be spent on children, but on drink. Now of the three possible goals - the education of the child, the improvement living conditions or replenishment of the funded part of the mother's pension - most often the money is spent on housing. But not every family needs it and can afford it, argues Maleva: with the crisis, incomes are falling and many do not even have enough money for food. “Individual families can really drink away their capital, but what about 146 million people in our country who are alcoholics?” she says, wondering why troubled families should make everyone suffer. Many have asked for permission to spend money on nurseries for a long time, says Maleva, however, without the construction of new nurseries, the measure may not work, she warns.

Mortgage at 6%

Modernization for children

50 billion rubles will be allocated for the reconstruction and re-equipment of children's polyclinics. The situation with hospitals is already almost critical: 31% of hospitals and clinics do not have running water, 35.5% - sewerage, 40.5% - central heating, follows from the data of the Accounts Chamber. According to her calculations, in 13 years without the allocation of money for the renewal of more than 70% of medical equipment will be unusable.

For richer families, the government will revive the mortgage subsidy program. For those of them who have a second and third child in 2018, a subsidy program will be launched interest rate by mortgage. When buying a home on the primary market or refinancing mortgage loans they will be able to count on subsidizing rates in excess of 6% per annum for three years from the date of issuance of the loan at the birth of their second child and five years for the third. Now the average mortgage rate is 10.5%, follows from the data of the Central Bank, so the state will take on more than 4% of the cost of the loan. In 2018–2023 the program could cover more than 500,000 families, Putin referred to the Ministry of Construction's estimate. The price of the program is 10 billion rubles, the official says.

In 2015–2016 there was already a program of subsidies at 12% per annum (the state compensated the borrower for the difference between this amount and the bank's rate). Anyone could use it, but only for an apartment in a new building. The share of loans issued with its help exceeded 35% banking system, recalls the director of the Mortgage Lending Directorate of TKB Bank Vadim Pakhalenko. But new program the audience will be smaller, he believes, the number of loans to such families will not exceed 7-8%. Banks will be able to increase their client base, Pakhalenko hopes, but the main limitation of the use of subsidies is the cost of real estate.

On November 28, 2017, Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Coordinating Council for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Children in the Kremlin, during which he made several long-awaited statements regarding new measures of social support for families with children, which will start working from January 2018.

In total, the President proposed 6 new social support measures:

Attention

More details about all these proposals can be found in the transcript of the meeting, published on the official website of the Kremlin. Below are the main excerpts from this speech by Vladimir Putin.

Opening speech of the President November 28, 2017

Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Coordinating Council for the implementation of the National Action Strategy for Children:

“You know that this year, in accordance with the Decree Decade of Childhood announced. I hope that the Government, by implementing this new project, will certainly ensure continuity with the tasks of the National Strategy for Action in the Interests of Children, and the Federation Council will continue to keep these issues in the area of ​​its constant attention. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the importance of such areas as strengthening the institution of the family, creating equal opportunities for the full development of all children remains the most important for us.

You know that since the beginning of the 2000s we have been closely and consistently engaged in questions demographic development . And thanks to thoughtful and, one might already say, effective solutions tasks in this area are being consistently addressed. Among the measures that have been introduced and that are still working, special role the maternity capital program played. In this regard, much has already been done, the birth rate has begun to grow. Having two children in a family has become a steady trend. Infant mortality has decreased, thanks to the creation of a system of perinatal centers, first of all, it was possible to reach positive indicators of natural population growth, which, frankly, no one expected, but it happened.”

“Today we need to take a set of measures that will allow us to stabilize and prevent a decrease in the population of Russia in the coming decade. Here we need active, consistent work in all areas - both to reduce mortality and to stimulate the birth rate. In fact, we need reload our population development policy».

“As for the birth rate, it comes to the fore support for large families, families with modest incomes, creating additional incentives for the birth of a second and third child.

It is also necessary to pay special attention young families. These, as a rule, are families with low incomes, because these are young people who are either still studying or have just entered labor activity, incomes are very modest, as a rule. This often holds back the birth of the first child, the appearance of the first child.

What measures have been proposed by the President since 2018?

Vladimir Putin:“We have, frankly, discussed various measures for quite a long time, the time has come to make a decision and announce these proposed new measures. To support the birth rate, I propose starting the implementation of a number of new support measures from January 2018 Russian families:

Namely, funds from maternity capital can be received in the form of monthly payments to those families that are in special need. The same targeted approach will apply here as with payments for the first child. That is, payments will be determined in the amount of the subsistence minimum for a child in the region and for families with incomes that do not exceed one and a half times the subsistence level of the able-bodied population. Also until the child reaches one and a half years.

In addition, now it will be possible to use maternity capital to pay for services. preschool education(or rather, for the care and supervision of a child) from the age of two months. I know that the demand for this measure is very high. In particular, the mother child birth able to continue work or education.

— The third direction. As you know, a decision has already been announced to expand the number of regions that will receive co-financing from the federal budget to pay benefits for a third child. These allowances have been paid since 2013. Children under the age of three are eligible. The criteria for the need of families, as well as the procedure for assigning payments, are established by the legislation of the subjects Russian Federation.

At the same time, let me remind you that co-financing from the federal budget goes to those regions where an unfavorable demographic situation has developed and the total birth rate is below the average for Russia. This year, 50 regions of the Russian Federation took advantage of such co-financing conditions.

From January 1, 2018, 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation will be able to receive support. They will be able to receive those regions where, on average, one woman has two or fewer children, that is, the regional birth rate increases to two. As I said, such a change in the coefficient will enable 60 regions to receive federal assistance for the payment of benefits for the third child.

- Fourth. It is extremely important - especially for young families and families with children in general - housing issue. I suggest launching a special mortgage lending program. Families in which a second or third child is born from January 1, 2018 will be able to take advantage of its opportunities. Buying housing in the primary market or refinancing previously received mortgage loans, families will be able to count on state subsidized interest rates in excess of 6 percent per annum. Let me explain today weighted average rate in the mortgage lending market is, according to the Bank of Russia, 10.05 percent. That is, in this case, the state assumes more than 4 percent of the cost of the loan. According to the Ministry of Construction, in the next five years this program can cover over 500,000 families.

I'll tell you more. The mortgage lending program will be of an urgent nature, provides for subsidizing an interest rate in excess of 6 percent at the birth of a second child - within 3 years from the date of issuance of the loan; third child - within 5 years from the date of issue of the loan. Questions may arise: the program will be coming to an end, and the child has just been born, which in this case. In the event of the birth of a third child during the subsidy period, but no later than December 31, 2022 inclusive, the subsidy period will be extended by 5 years - from the date of expiration of the subsidy period for a loan received in connection with the birth of a second child. In the event of the birth of a third child after the expiration of the subsidy period for a loan received in connection with the birth of a second child, but no later than December 31, 2022 inclusive, the provision of the subsidy is resumed starting from the date of birth of the third child.

- Fifth. We have practically solved the problem with places in kindergartens. Now we need to eliminate the queues in the nursery - for children from two months to three years. This must be done as quickly as possible. Now applications have been received from parents of more than 326 thousand children. The same number of nursery places is planned to be created in the next two years.

- Sixth. We need to be substantively and consistently engaged in increasing the availability of medical care for children and, of course, improving its quality. I have already said many times, last years a good breakthrough was made to create perinatal centers in the regions. However, the condition of most children's polyclinics, their equipment leaves much to be desired. There are problems with queues, with an appointment with the right specialist. This state of affairs also serves as a deterrent in the decision to have children. And yes, it just needs to be fixed and improved.

In order to carry out the reconstruction of children's polyclinics, their overhaul and re-equipment with equipment, according to preliminary calculations, more than 50 billion rubles will be required. It is obvious that the regions, bearing in mind even the assistance that we have provided them most recently, will not be able to carry out these works only at their own expense. Therefore, in the next three years, the bulk of this amount - 10 billion a year - will be provided by federal budget.

The government, together with the regions, needs to quickly work out a detailed schedule for the reconstruction and overhaul children's polyclinics, including outpatient departments of hospitals, as well as to approve the conditions for co-financing and the rules for selecting polyclinics, to do this taking into account the readiness design and estimate documentation and, above all, the severity of the problem.

“I am sure that the implementation of all the proposed measures will bring results. I repeat, we are talking about the future of the country, about the fact that as many children as possible are born in Russia, and that their living conditions improve, medical care improves.”

“That's what I wanted to say at the beginning. Thanks a lot".

President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin 28.11.2017

RedRocketMedia

Bryansk, Ulyanova street, house 4, office 414

Stimulation of the birth rate and support for families with children in modern Russia

V. Elizarov
(Published in the book: Fertility and Family Planning in Russia: History and Perspectives. Collection of articles / Ed. Troitskoy I.A., Avdeeva A.A. - M., 2011. - ("Demographic research", issue 18). With.)

An increasing number of countries with low fertility are beginning to think about the consequences of depopulation, considering this process as a problem of national security, and given the scale of replacement migration, as a problem of preserving national identity.

There is a growing number of countries estimating the birth rate as too low: from 16 in 1976 to 48 in 2007, as well as countries that consider it necessary to stimulate an increase in the birth rate: from 13 in 1976 to 39 in 2007. From countries, governments of which the current birth rate was assessed as too low in 2007, 80% considered it necessary to pursue a policy of its increase.

Table 1. Estimates and policies of governments in the field of fertility

Estimates and Policies
	Number of countries	share, %	Number of countries	share, %	Number of countries	share, %	Number of countries	share, %
Calculate the birth rate:
too low
satisfactory
too high
It is considered necessary to influence the birth rate in order to:
increase
no impact planned

Source: WPP2007. United Nations, 2008:42, 44.

In developed countries, the total fertility rate dropped in 2000-2005 to an average of 1.6 births per woman. Therefore, if in 1976 less than 21% of developed countries considered the current birth rate too low, then in 2007 - already more than 60%. Of the 49 developed countries, 30 (including 27 European ones) assessed the birth rate in their countries as low in 2007 (in 1996 - 19, in 1986 - 9). At the same time, 26 countries, including 24 European countries, considered it necessary to influence the birth rate in order to increase it.

Russia has also long been one of the countries with a low birth rate, which does not ensure the reproduction of the population in the future. In combination with a higher mortality rate than in other developed countries, low birth rates have led to a steady depopulation observed since 1992, the scale of which is determined both by fluctuations in birth and death rates and by the size of the migration increase, which replaces part of the natural population decline.

The maximum population of Russia was reached by the beginning of 1993 and amounted to 148.6 million people, an estimate for the beginning of 2010 is about 141.9 million people. Since 1992, the number of deaths has steadily exceeded the number of births. For 19 years (1992-2010), the difference between the numbers of births and deaths in Russia amounted to more than 13 million people. This decline was offset by 6.4 million (or 48%) by the increase in migration. The absolute decline in the population during this period amounted to more than 6.6 million people.

The demographic development of Russia is in many ways similar to the general European trends (low birth rate, changes in family structure, population aging, etc.). At the same time, the accelerated growth of crisis phenomena was determined by the special conditions and difficulties of the so-called transition period(falling real incomes, growing poverty, growing inequality, high unemployment, reduction in the volume of social guarantees and free services in health and education, etc.).

The collapse of the USSR (1991) raised the question of developing in Russia the concept of its own population policy taking into account the new economic, social and political conditions.

As the legal successor of the USSR, Russia has kept in operation the main legal regulations and the direction of the demographic policy inherited from the USSR, has retained many measures of socio-economic and legal support for motherhood and childhood.

Transition to market economy, the formation of new approaches to conducting social policy demanded a significant reassessment of the existing system of views on the role and place of national demographic policy, family policy, social protection motherhood and childhood. They discussed both the principles of development and issues of implementation, resource provision and regionalization, taking into account the specifics of the demographic, economic, socio-cultural development of Russian regions.

The Constitution adopted in 1993 stated that in the Russian Federation “state support for the family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood is provided, ... benefits and other guarantees of social protection are established”(Constitution of the Russian Federation, 1993, Art. 7, p. 2).

In conditions transition economy, price liberalization and high inflation, a policy of social protection for families with children was pursued. It included compensation payments and benefits designed to mitigate the impact of the crisis experienced by Russia on the standard of living of families with children, to counter a further decline in the birth rate (among them were quarterly allowances for children's clothing, and even bread allowances). There were also in-kind measures of assistance: coupons and cards for scarce goods, distribution of humanitarian aid to large families.

1993 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of the Family. This was the impetus for the development of a new document in the field of family policy - Family policy concepts, approved on May 12, 1993 by the National Council for the preparation and holding of the International Year of the Family in Russia.

The first official report was timed to coincide with the International Year of the Family "On the situation of families in the Russian Federation"(1994), in which a special section "State family policy" was highlighted. The exchange of opinions and results of research in the field of family and family policy was facilitated by the publication since 1994 of the journal "Family in Russia" highlighted in the content a special heading "Family Policy".

The decline in inflation by the mid-1990s made it possible to raise the question of streamlining the complex, chaotic and inconsistent system of compensations and benefits that existed at that time.

New system benefits introduced by federal law No. 81-FZ “On state benefits citizens with children” dated May 19, 1995. (with subsequent changes) included:

• Maternity benefit in the amount of average earnings at the place of work, paid for the period of 70 days before childbirth and 70 (in case of complicated childbirth - 86, in case of birth of two or more children - 110) days after childbirth. At the same time, the leave was calculated in total, and the benefit was provided in full, regardless of the number of days spent on prenatal leave.
• A one-time allowance for women registered with medical institutions in the early stages of pregnancy, i.e. up to 12 weeks (50% of the minimum wage, later - 100%).
• One-time allowance at the birth of a child (10 minimum wages, later - 15).
• Monthly allowance for the period of parental leave until the child reaches the age of one and a half years (in the amount of 100% of the minimum wage, later - 200%).

Monthly allowance for children (70% of the minimum wage), increased allowances for single mothers and some other categories of families.

Developed and accepted for implementation "National Plan of Action for Children" (approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 942 of September 14, 1995). The action plan contained section 3.2. "Support for the family as a natural environment for the life support of children."

An important step in ensuring legal regulation and support for the development of the family was the adoption of a new "Family Code of the Russian Federation", entered into force on March 1, 1996. In many respects, it differed significantly from the old Code of Laws on Marriage and the Family of the RSFSR, which had been in force since 1969. New concepts such as the marriage contract (arts. 40-44) and the foster family (arts. 151-154) were introduced; a number of changes and additions have been made to the procedure for collecting alimony (Articles 80-120); Establishment of paternity in respect of children born out of a registered marriage has been facilitated in court (Article 49); amendments were made to the rules governing the conclusion and dissolution of marriage.

Based on the Concept of Family Policy, a more fundamental document was prepared "The main directions of state family policy" (approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 712 of May 14, 1996). It provided for “...further development of the system of family allowances covering support for all families with children; a gradual increase in the share of spending on family benefits, including benefits for pregnancy and childbirth and care for children under the age of one and a half years, in gross domestic product up to 2.2 percent”?

In accordance with the recommendations of UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), these costs should be at least 2.5-3.5% of GDP (in depending on the share of the child population and the level of child poverty). UNICEF estimated in the mid-1990s that Russia needed to increase government spending on child benefits by at least 2 percentage points of GDP. In 1991, this indicator - the share of spending on family benefits - in the Russian Federation was about 2%, in 1994 - about 1% of GDP.

Support coverage principle all families with children was somewhat disturbed by the adoption in 1998 of federal law(No. 134-FZ of July 29) “On the Introduction of Amendments and Additions to the Federal Law “On State Benefits to Citizens with Children”. In accordance with this law, the right to a monthly allowance for a child was established in families with an average per capita income not exceeding 200% of the subsistence level in a constituent entity of the Russian Federation. Most of the families fell under this criterion.

In 1999, the transition to a new model for assigning and paying benefits was initiated. on a targeted principle - only for children in low-income families. Federal Law No. 171-FZ of July 17, 1999 “On Amending Article 16 of the Federal Law “On State Benefits to Citizens with Children” was adopted. According to this law, since August 1999, the right to a monthly child allowance was established only for families with an average per capita income not exceeding 100% of the subsistence minimum in a constituent entity of the Russian Federation. As conceived by the legislators, such a measure was supposed to ensure the redistribution of limited financial resources for the poorest families with children.

To ensure the targeting of the provision of a monthly child allowance, for the first time it was developed and approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 29, 1999 No. 1096 "The procedure for calculating the average per capita income", giving the right to receive a monthly allowance for a child.

Despite the measures taken, in general, in Russia during the second half of the 1990s and the first half of the 2000s, there was a clear weakening of state support for the family. From 1995 to 2000, maternal and family benefits were set as a percentage of the minimum wage (minimum wage), which, in theory, was supposed to compensate for price increases (inflation). Since 2001, benefits have been set at a fixed rate. Benefits were periodically revised upwards.

The level of spending on family support measures (the share of spending on family, maternity and child benefits in % of GDP) was also declining in 2003-2006. was 8-10 times less than the level of these costs in European countries, where they average from 2 to 2.5%. In France, for example, they make up about 4%.

The decline in Russia's population, which has continued since 1992, prompted the authorities to develop a comprehensive strategy. In February 2001, the Russian government considered the draft Concept of Demographic Policy for the Period up to 2015. However, by autumn the document had changed its name somewhat. By order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1270-r dated September 24, 2001, the developed by the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation was approved

"The concept of the demographic development of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2015", in which the long-term goal of demographic policy was set: the stabilization of the population of Russia and the creation of prerequisites for population growth. The Concept formulated the main directions and priorities of the policy in the field of fertility and family strengthening, in the field of reducing mortality and increasing life expectancy, and in the field of migration. It was envisaged that specific action plans and programs would be developed to implement this concept, in particular, measures to stimulate the birth rate (benefits, tax breaks, housing subsidies young families, etc.).

The priorities in the field of stimulating the birth rate included:

• improving the material well-being of the family and creating socio-economic conditions favorable for the birth, maintenance and upbringing of several children;
• work with decent salary, as well as the opportunity to provide the family with appropriate housing conditions;
• providing employees with children with conditions conducive to the combination of work and family responsibilities.

This suggested:

• improving the system of payment of benefits to citizens with children, including increasing the amount of benefits and ensuring their targeting;
• a differentiated approach to determining the amount of benefits and tax deductions, taking into account the material conditions of the family and its social status;
• improving the living conditions of young families in the event of the birth of a child, the allocation of gratuitous subsidies at the regional level and the use of the mechanism concessional lending depending on the number of children in the family.

Unfortunately, the declarative nature of the Concept was not supplemented by real action plans for its implementation. At the same time, the implementation mechanism involved the development of regional concepts. And this work was done in many regions, which, however, did not make it possible to seriously influence the improvement of the demographic situation.

Until 2001, monthly child allowances were paid from regional and local budgets. The result was disastrous. In the late 1990s, the arrears in the payment of benefits began to grow, which by the middle of 1999 exceeded 30 billion rubles (an amount comparable to wage arrears). Only in three regions - Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Samara region - there was no debt. In some areas, benefits were not paid for 2-3 years!

Starting from 2001, funds for the current payment of benefits began to be allocated to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation designated purpose(in the form of grants). They were included in the Compensation Fund financed from the federal budget. Subventions from the federal budget allocated to the regions for the payment of monthly benefits in 2001 were to amount to 22.8 billion rubles.

Debts began to decrease and by April 2002 reached 15 billion rubles. The rapid reduction in debt was facilitated by a more than 1.5-fold decrease in the number of recipients due to the transition to the targeted allocation of benefits (not to all children, but only to children in families with incomes below the subsistence level). At the end of 2004, arrears in benefits amounted to only about 2 billion rubles.

After the Federal Law No. 122-FZ of August 22, 2004 came into force in 2005, the main activities, responsibility and financing of social support for the vast majority of families were transferred to the regions.

In accordance with Federal Law-122, Article 16 of the Federal Law "On State Benefits to Citizens with Children" in the new edition reads as follows: “The amount, procedure for assigning and paying a monthly allowance for a child are established by laws and other regulatory legal acts subject of the Russian Federation.

From January 1, 2005, each subject of the Russian Federation pays benefits in the amount and on the terms determined by their own legal norms. This provision predetermines significant differences between regions in the level of support for families with children. In most of the regions (including Moscow) in 2005, the former amount of the allowance was maintained - 70 rubles per month (plus the regional coefficient, where it is). Since 2006, the allowance in Moscow has been increased to 150 rubles. Approximately in a third of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the normative acts adopted for 2005 increased benefits to 80-100 rubles. Regional budgets, for the most part, it is difficult to fully finance the costs of paying a monthly allowance for children, all the more so to ensure the growth of their purchasing power.

The federal budget for 2005 provided subsidies to the regions (some more, some less) for the implementation of the law on child benefits in the amount of more than 4 billion rubles. But that's less than 1/4 of welfare spending in 2004. Not all regions were able to cope painlessly with such a significant financial burden on their budgets, and indebtedness on child benefits in a number of regions remained, although on a much smaller scale.

The most costly has traditionally been the monthly child allowance. Thus, in 1995, it accounted for 85% of all expenditures on family benefits (see t abl. 2). By 2003, its share was reduced to about 1/2, by 2006 - to 1/3, by 2007-2008. - up to 1/5. Since 2007, the most costly allowance has been for the care of a child up to 1.5 years old, in 2008 it accounted for 45% of all expenses, and the expenses for maternity allowance took second place (26% of all expenses).

Table 2. Spending on family and maternity benefits

years
Expenditure on family and maternity benefits - total, million rubles (1995 - billion rubles)
of them:
for pregnancy and childbirth 1)
at the birth of a child 1)
caring for a child up to 1.5 years 1)
monthly child allowance 2)
for the care of children with disabilities 1)
other family and maternity benefits
Share of family and maternity benefits, in %:
to the volume of cash income of the population
Monthly child allowance arrears, 2) in % of total child allowance paid

1) According to the Foundation social insurance Russian Federation.
2) According to the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia.
Source: Russian Statistical Yearbook. 2010. M., 2010

A turning point in attitudes toward demographic policy in general and measures to support families with children in particular occurred after the 2006 Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly.

One of the main provisions of the Message-2006: “No migration will help solve demographic problems if we do not create conditions for the birth rate in our country, if we do not develop our own family support programs” .

The 2006 Address proposed a program "stimulating the birth rate, namely: measures to support young families, support women who decide to give birth and raise a child." Attention was focused on the fact that "Today we must stimulate the birth of at least a second child." And it was the right decision.

If we make it so that there will be more families of two and three children than now, this will give a chance to keep the birth rate from falling, to maintain the achieved level (the total birth rate in 2009-2010 exceeded 1.5 births per 1 woman). And in the future, with a more active and effective policy, one should strive to reach the level of the countries of Northern and Western Europe (1.7-1.9 births per 1 woman).

In the Message-2006, the reasons hindering a free decision on the birth of a second and third child were named. There were also economic low income and lack of normal living conditions, and psychological factors doubts about their own ability to provide a future child with a decent level of medical services, quality education, and sometimes doubts about whether they will be able to feed their children.

The Message-2006 also proposed specific measures to support young families and women, designed to stimulate the birth of at least a second child:

an increase in the size of the child care allowance up to 1.5 years,

introduction of compensation for the costs of preschool education,

increase in the cost of birth certificates, maternity capital.

All the laws needed to legally support the new policy measures had already been passed by the end of 2006.

Implemented in 2007-2009 additional measures to support mothers and families with children, as well as measures within the framework of the National Health Project, were designed to stop the growth of the demographic crisis, create prerequisites for the transition to a more active demographic policy, and create families Better conditions for the birth and upbringing of children, the preservation and strengthening of their health.

AT 2007 allowances for child care up to 1.5 years were significantly increased (from 700 rubles to 1500-6000 rubles), for the first time child care benefits were introduced for non-working women (1500 rubles at the birth of the first child, 3000 rubles at birth second and next). For the first time, the allowance for working women became tied to the salary - 40% of the salary at the time of going on maternity leave, but not lower than for non-working mothers. The maximum allowance was also set - no more than 6,000 rubles.

The size of the “birth certificate”, first introduced in 2006, has slightly increased - from 7 to 10 thousand rubles; At the same time, in addition to stimulating antenatal clinics(3,000) and maternity hospitals (6,000); stimulation of postpartum monitoring of a child's health in a children's clinic (1,000 rubles) was introduced.

Part of additional Money went to encourage (pay) medical personnel (35-55% of the funds, depending on the volume and quality of medical services), part - to purchase new equipment, part of the funds - to provide pregnant women with medicines, as well as vitamins and microelements.

Since 2007, applicants for receiving (more precisely, for using!) began to register since 2010. new measure state support - 250,000 maternity (family) capital.

In 2007, small compensation payments were introduced to parents for children attending preschool institutions differentiated according to the child's birth order (20% of the fee for the first child, 50% for the second, and 70% for the third and subsequent). The costs associated with the provision of compensation are financed by the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, while co-financing is provided by providing subsidies to the constituent entities from the budget of the Russian Federation. The introduction of compensations in the presence of a huge shortage of places puts in unequal conditions families in which children (there are about 5 million) attend preschool institutions, and families that are in line for a place in a kindergarten (more than 1.5 million children at the end of 2008) and may not wait their turn because the children will grow up and go to school. The first ones were lucky - in these families, parents can work and bring income to the family, and they will also receive compensation (albeit a small one). The latter are either deprived of maternal income or have to pay for babysitting services (these are additional and considerable expenses), and, of course, they will be able to realize the right to compensation only after waiting for a place in a preschool institution.

From January 1 2008 the maximum amount of maternity benefit was increased. In 2007, the Constitutional Court challenged the constitutionality of such a restriction. However, when approving the FSS budget for 2008, the maximum was retained, but increased from 16,125 rubles to 23,400 rubles. This is approximately 1/12 of 280 thousand rubles - the amount of the wage fund, subject to the maximum rate of the unified social tax in 2008. In 2007, only 7% of mothers receiving child care allowance had a salary of 15,000 rubles or more at the time of going on maternity leave. In 2008, there were already more than 11% of mothers with such a salary.

In order to prevent inflation from reducing real purchasing power social benefits and payments, since 2008 a mechanism for their indexation has been introduced. A law was passed establishing the order of indexation. Previously, these benefits were indexed on a case-by-case basis, excluding inflation. Maternity capital was also indexed. Initially, it was decided to increase all basic benefits and maternity capital by 8.5% from January 1, 2008 (that is, for planned inflation, and not for actual inflation). Thus, the amount of capital was increased from 250 to 271.25 thousand rubles.

In June 2008, a decision was made to further index the benefits. Thus, from July 1, 2008, the increase in benefits was no longer 8.5% compared to 2007, but increased by another 1.85%. Maternity capital was also indexed - from 8.5 to 10.5%.

In 2008, for 1 thousand rubles. (from 10 to 11 thousand) the size of the "birth certificate" has increased. The cost of coupon No. 3, designed to stimulate post-natal monitoring of the child's health in a children's clinic, was doubled. Both parts of coupon 3 (A and B) - for the first and second half of the first year of a child's life - increased in value from 500 rubles. up to 1 thousand rubles.

The crisis that began in 2008 prompted the government to include measures to support families in anti-crisis programs. So it was allowed to use maternity capital in 2009, without waiting for 2010, to pay off mortgage loans and loans already taken for the construction or purchase of housing. In addition, already in 2009, it was allowed to use 12 thousand rubles from maternity (family) capital for current needs.

At the beginning 2009 It was also decided to continue indexing allowances. Thus, from January 1, 2009, the increase in benefits amounted to the same 8.5% compared to the amounts in force at the end of 2008. At the same time, inflation for 2008 was more than 13% (for families with children, whose incomes are usually below average , inflation is even higher - at least 15%). However, since April 1, 2009, all basic benefits and maternity capital have been increased by 13% (but not by additional indexation, a recalculation from April 1, 2009 with surcharge for January-March).

On January 1, 2009, the maximum amount of maternity benefit was again increased - from 23,400 rubles. up to 25 390 rub. per month (i.e. by 8.5%).

The system of benefits is supplemented by tax deductions - standard and social. For each child who is in the care of taxpayers who are parents, standard tax deduction(in relation to income taxed at a tax rate of 13%). In 2002-2004 the amount of the deduction was 300 rubles. for every month tax period, from January 1, 2005 doubled - up to 600 rubles.

In 2006-2008 the size and conditions of the deduction did not change, and only from January 1, 2009 the amount of the deduction was increased to 1000 rubles. At the same time, not only he increased, but also the maximum amount, upon reaching which the right to deduction disappears - immediately from 40 to 280 thousand rubles. This means that employees with a salary close to the average, and even slightly higher (up to 23.3 thousand rubles), could use the benefit in 2009 in full within 12 months, and not 4-5 months, as before.

AT 2010 the procedure for determining the maximum allowance for caring for a child up to 1.5 years has been changed. The average earnings from which the monthly allowance for child care is calculated cannot exceed the amount calculated by dividing by 12 the maximum value of the base for calculating insurance contributions to the FSS (Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation) on the day of occurrence insured event. Therefore, in 2010, the maximum allowable allowance for child care increased significantly and amounted to 13,833 rubles. (415,000 rubles / 12 * 40%), while in 2009 the maximum amount was 7492.4 rubles for a full calendar month. At the same time, the district coefficient is now applied only to the minimum amount of childcare benefits. As for the maximum of 13,833 rubles, it is the same for the entire territory of the Russian Federation and is not subject to an increase by the size of the district coefficient.

From January 1, 2010, the maximum amount of the maternity allowance was significantly increased - from 25,390 rubles to 34,583 rubles per month (by 36.2% at once) - due to the fact that this maximum was defined as 1/12 not from 280 thousand, and from 415 thousand rubles.

The amount of indexation of all benefits for 2010 was set at 10%. Maternal (family) capital was indexed in the same amount, as a result of which it grew from 312,162 rubles to 343,378 rubles.

As a continuation of the anti-crisis measures of 2009, those families where children were born from October 1 to December 31, 2009 were allowed to use part of the maternity capital (12 thousand rubles) until March 31, 2010. Later, a decision was made to extension of the right to this payment and for the whole of 2010.

With regard to monthly allowances for children, since 2005 they have been established directly in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, their amounts and conditions of assignment are regulated by local legislation. Benefits are assigned only to children in families with incomes below the subsistence level in the region. Benefits are small. So, in 2009-2010. in most regions, the allowance was 100-300 rubles. (minimum - 70 rubles, maximum - 1000 rubles), and only in 7 regions - 300 or more rubles. Wherein the average size the subsistence minimum for children in the II quarter of 2010 was 5423 rubles, i.e. in most regions, the allowance covered only 2-7% of the subsistence minimum for children. At the end of 2008, parents received this allowance for 10.8 million children, by the middle of 2010 - for 10.2 million children, or 40% of the total number of children.

The dynamics of the size of basic benefits and other measures of demographic policy is presented below (Table 3).

Despite a significant increase in benefits over the past three years, their amount remains relatively small. So, if the benefits corresponded to the norms of 1996, then in 2010 they (with the minimum wage 4330 rubles) would be:

Table 3. Benefits for families with children and other measures of demographic policy

Type of benefit or payment	Benefit amount in 2007	Benefit amount in 2008	Benefit amount in 2009	Benefit amount in 2010
Maternity allowance	no more than calculated 16125 rub.	no more than calculated 23450 rub.	no more than calculated 25390 rub.	no more than calculated 34583 rub.
One-time allowance at the birth of a child		from 01.01.2008 8680 rub., from 1.07.2008 RUB 8840.58	from 01.01.2009 RUB 9592.03 from 1.04.2008 RUB 9,989.86	from 1.01.2010 RUB 10,988.85
A one-time allowance for women registered in medical institutions in early pregnancy (up to 12 weeks)		from 01.01.2008 325.5 rubles, from 1.07.2008	from 01.01.2009 RUB 359.70 from 1.04.2009	from 1.01.2010 RUB 412.08
Monthly allowance for mothers to care for a child until the age of one and a half years (or persons replacing them):
unemployed mothers who gave birth to their first child		from 01.01.2008 1627.5 rubles, from 1.07.2008 RUB 1,657.61	from 01.01.2009 1798.5 rubles, from 1.04.2009 RUB 1,873.1	from 1.01.2010 RUB 2060.41
non-working mothers who gave birth to a second or next child		from 01.01.2008 RUB 3,255 from 1.07.2008 RUB 3,315.22	from 01.01.2009 RUB 3,597 from 1.04.2009 RUB 3,746.2	from 1.01.2010 RUB 4,120.82
working mothers (40% of the salary at the time of going on leave for pregnancy and childbirth, not less than the non-working allowance and not more than the maximum	maximum 6 000 rub.	maximum from 01.01.2008 6510 rub., from 1.07.2008 6630,44 rub.	maximum from 01.01.2009 7194 rub., from 1.04.2009	maximum from 1.01.2010 RUB 13833.33
Maternal (family) capital		from 01.01.2008 271250 rub. from 1.07.2008 276250 rub.	from 01.01.2009 RUB 299,731.25 from 1.04.2009 312162.5 rubles	from 1.01.2010 343378.8 rub.
birth certificate	10 thousand rubles (3+6+0.5+0.5)	11 thousand rubles (3+6+1+1)	11 thousand rubles (3+6+1+1)	11 thousand rubles (3+6+1+1)

Activation of demographic policy in 2007-2010. posed a difficult methodological problem for researchers: what existing and new methods and indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken, how to ensure the correctness of these estimates, how to evaluate the effect of the new measures themselves, separating it from the influence of changing socio-economic conditions that also affect the standard of living of the family and demographic behavior. According to officials, the 19% increase in the number of births (from 1,480,000 in 2006 to 1,762,000 in 2009) is due to the success of demographic policy, primarily due to “maternity capital” and “birth certificates”.

In our opinion, child care allowances up to 1.5 years old could also play a big role, especially for unemployed or low-wage women. In addition, part of the increase is due to a favorable age structure as a result of the high birth rate of the mid-1980s. In the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of young people aged 20-29 years. The potential number of brides and grooms grew, this created a favorable background for the creation of new families and marriages, as well as for an increase in the birth of first and, in the future, second children.

And one more important, in our opinion, factor explaining the growth in the number of births, primarily second and third: in recent years, young parents have become representatives of the generation of the 80s, in which more than half of the children grew up in two-children, and part - in large families. families. This generation, apparently, is easier to respond to measures to stimulate the birth rate (a hypothesis that has yet to be tested).

Despite the apparent scale adopted in 2007-2010. measures, in our opinion, they are clearly not enough to enable young families to make more free and responsible decisions about the birth of children. The analysis shows that even the doubling of family support spending in 2007 compared to 2006 and their indexation in 2008-2010. leaves this indicator (in % of GDP) at a level 1.5-2 times less than it was in Russia in 1995, and 4-5 times less than in 1990-1991. The contribution of benefits to family income is still insignificant.

The assistance that is provided today to families with children is clearly not enough both for a more complete implementation of the existing attitudes towards the birth of a second and subsequent children, and for stimulating the birth rate, changing the value system, and increasing the prestige of a family with several children.

Families with underage children are at increased risk of poverty as a result of low wages and low levels of maternal and child benefits. The birth of a child for most young families means a sharp decline in living standards. The number of children has become one of the main factors of poverty.

The more children in a family, the lower its per capita income; the higher the birth rate, the greater the proportion of poor families with incomes below the subsistence level. In a particularly difficult situation are families in which the mother receives an allowance for the care of a child under the age of one and a half years, as well as families with children of preschool age with one worker. Due to the huge shortage of places in preschool institutions and the inability to provide high-quality and affordable child care, many mothers cannot start work after the end of parental leave until the age of one and a half. The accumulated deficit (more than 1.9 million places) is so great that it is impossible to overcome it in the coming years.

In recent years, the birth rate has slightly increased and the population decline has noticeably decreased, but so far there is no reason to believe that it will be possible to quickly overcome the crisis and stabilize the population. It will be difficult also because the age and sex structure of the population is strongly deformed, which affects and will continue to affect the reproduction of the population.

In a few years, the structural factors that gave us a slight rise in the birth rate will exhaust themselves, and the next phase of the fall in the birth rate will inevitably begin (a decrease in the annual number of births). Developing and improving demographic policy at the federal and regional levels, we need to have time in 3-4 years to prepare for a qualitative improvement in policy beyond 2012-2014, not limited to just indexing benefits. If we do not do this, we will face another decline in the birth rate, deeper than in the late 1990s.

The continuation of the current trends in population reproduction (relatively low birth rate and high mortality with a migration gain of 200-300 thousand people per year) may lead to the fact that the population of Russia by the beginning of 2025 may be reduced to 135-139 million people.

Well-known American demographer and expert on Russia Murray Feshbach believes that overcoming demographic crisis in Russia “will require gigantic efforts and investments from the state. What it is completely unprepared for.... In Russia, there are a lot of smart demographers, people representing what awaits the country. They must reach out to the authorities and convince them that decisive action is urgently needed in many areas.

With an active demographic policy and an improvement in the socio-economic situation of the country, a smaller decline can be expected, the scale of which will depend on the volume of replacement migration.

The concept of the demographic policy of Russia for the period up to 2025 provides that at the third stage (2016-2025) “in due to a significant decrease in the number of women of reproductive age by the beginning of the third stage, it will be necessary to take additional measures stimulating the birth of a second and third child in families.

The Russian authorities and Russian society have realized the depth of the demographic crisis in which the country finds itself. Since 2006, the demographic problem (according to Solzhenitsyn - the problem saving people) regarded as the most important and acute problem of modern Russia.

Demographic statistics data for 2006-10 they speak of an increase in the number of births and life expectancy, as well as a reduction in mortality and natural decline in the population. But the fundamental assessment of the situation does not change: relatively favorable dynamics may continue for several more years, and then, according to most forecasts made in recent years by Russian and international experts, the decline will most likely begin to increase.

In July 2010, the Internet media reported on the forecast of the well-known American research organization Population Reference Bureau(PRB), which predicts a further decrease in the population of Russia.

Deputy Prime Minister A.D. On July 29, 2010, at a meeting of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of Priority National Projects and Demographic Policy, Zhukov commented on these figures as follows: “Today I read a message that some American company, a fund, conducted a study that supposedly our population is expected to decrease to 133 by 2025, and to 117 million people by 2050. These are completely baseless predictions. According to our strategy and the actions that are being taken, primarily within the framework of the national project, we must stabilize and begin to slowly increase our population.”

If you are not too lazy and look at the PRB website, then in the annually updated table of basic demographic data for all countries of the world in the line Russia in 2010 we will see completely different figures: population forecast for 2025 - 140.8 million, and for 2050 - 127.6 million people. Moreover, we are far from the only ones who are waiting for a reduction in the population - Germany, Japan, and almost all Eastern European countries are here.

Where did the figures that so outraged the Deputy Prime Minister come from? In the previous, outdated version of the forecast (Table-2009), we actually find: for 2025 - 133.3 million, and for 2050 - 116.9 million people. Even more fear could be caught up with the 2008 version. There, the forecast for 2025 is 129.3 million, and for 2050 - 110.1 million people.

We can see, comparing the versions of 2008, 2009 and 2010, that PRB specialists adjust their forecasts to take into account the latest trends in the birth rate growth, mortality reduction and population decline in Russia. So they can and should be treated with great respect. Journalists are forgiven, but government analysts could have provided more recent, high-quality and reliable information for the vice-premier's report.

Similar forecasts were also presented by our colleagues from a small and, alas, waning group of demographic experts. Figures in forecasts for 2020, 2025 and 2030 different, but the conclusions and estimates are close.

The latest official forecast of Rosstat - the average, most probable variant - also suggests, albeit small, but a decrease in the population (-140.9 million in 2025, almost the same as the PRB forecast -!). At the same time, the low variant (forecast-caution) proceeds from the possibility of a reduction in the population to 132.7 million in 2025. Recall that the "Concept of the demographic policy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025", adopted in October 2007, plans to increase the population up to 145 million people.

Regularly updated UN forecasts also do not give grounds for great optimism, although the latest versions of most forecasts have been adjusted towards some reduction in the loss. reductions in wastage, but, alas, no population growth.

So does our government understand the scale and threat of demographic change? In words, yes. Her actions so far confirm this only to a small extent. Additional measures were taken to stimulate the birth rate, the above-mentioned concept was approved, but with targets that are more like a demographic dream.

Meanwhile, the number of births in the country changes in waves (Fig. 1). There may be years when the growth in the number of births occurred without any measures of population policy, and years of recession, when, no matter what we do, a decrease in the number of births cannot be avoided.

Picture. 1. Number of births in Russia, 1946-2010

The understanding of these regularities at the upper levels of power is far from always visible. For example, Deputy Prime Minister A.D. Zhukov recently promised "by 2013 year, by compared to 2009, a decrease in mortality by 16.2% and an increase in the birth rate by 9.5%. On what basis such confidence is not clear. Desire and political will are not enough for this.

After all, what is really happening? Now women from numerous generations who were born in the 1980s give birth to children. Under the influence of new measures that stimulate the birth rate, the number of births of second or third children has also increased. Authorities consider this an unconditional proof of the victory of demographic policy and the result of effective investments in health care. It turns out that the optimistic politicians put the skeptical demographers to shame?! After all, the birth rate has really increased, and the natural decline has decreased by more than 3 times.

But let's see how the birth rate has grown in recent years. The number of births in 2007 (the first year of implementation of the new measures) increased immediately by 8.8%, in 2008 - by 6.4%, in 2009 - by only 2.8%, and in 2010 ( preliminary data) - by 1.6%. It can be seen with the naked eye that the growth in the birth rate is “running out of steam”. In a few years, we will face an inevitable decline in the number of births, by 2020-2025. - a demographic "pit" with a possible number of births of less than 1.2 million, since the small generations born in the 1990s and early 2000s will have children.

What could be an adequate response of the state to demographic challenges? First of all, in our opinion, a clearly formulated system of state social guarantees is needed, especially for young families. It is still possible to give birth to children, receive a more or less normal allowance for a year and a half, and then what?

Now the state supports families with children very modestly. The more children in a family, the more poverty, and this is, alas, an obvious fact for our society. "Maternity capital" does not fulfill its tasks, since there are still few opportunities to use it. He pushes for birth, but practically does not improve living conditions.

Accepted for implementation since 2006 national projects in the field of health care and the construction of affordable housing contributed to the creation of conditions for mitigating the demographic crisis, but the measures laid down in them are inadequate to the acuteness of the growing demographic problems.

Improving the demographic situation is impossible without a significant redistribution of resources in favor of the social sphere, without serious programs in the field of demographic policy, without large-scale expenditures for its implementation.

In his annual Address to the Federal Assembly, announced on November 30, 2010, the President of Russia stated: “We took up the demographic problem seriously and for a long time, but must understand that in the next 15 years the consequences of the demographic decline of the 1990s will affect, and the number of women of the so-called reproductive age will significantly decrease. And this is a serious threat, this is a challenge for our entire nation.” Let us illustrate this with the data of the average variant of the Rosstat forecast.

Table 4. Prospective number of women of reproductive age in Russia according to Rosstat forecast (medium variant; thousand)

	Number of women aged (years)
years

On fig. 2, this prediction appears more clearly:

Figure 2. Dynamics of the number of women of the main reproductive ages

In general, the number of women aged 20-29 with the highest birth rate - about 90 births per 1000 women per year - will decrease until 2023-24. (by 5.4 million people or 55% of the population in 2010).

This will predetermine the inevitable and significant reduction in the number of births, since this age group accounts for about 64-65% of births in recent years. If now there are more than 1 million births at the age of 20-29, then by 2023 this number will decrease by about half a million (!) - while maintaining today's levels of age-specific fertility. And the age group of 30-34 years (its number will grow until 2018) does not compensate for this decline.

The answer to this challenge should be a comprehensive policy aimed at supporting families with children, especially young people and those with many children, at stimulating the birth rate. The measures outlined by the government include increasing the availability and quality of medical care for mothers and children, developing a birth certificate program, increasing funding for infertility treatment, including the use of in vitro fertilization technologies, modernizing children's polyclinics and hospitals, etc.

According to the President, "the main way to overcome the demographic crisis is a radical increase in the number of families with three or more children" . For this, families with many children should be given the most favored nation treatment. The government was instructed, together with the regions, to work out the procedure for providing free land plots for the construction of a residential building or cottage at the birth of the third and subsequent children. The leaders of all subjects of the Federation are invited to think about regional "maternity capital", about other forms of support for large families. The size of the tax deduction will be increased to 3,000 rubles per month for each child, starting from the third. The government was instructed to prepare measures to increase tax deductions for all families with children.

A very painful issue for young families was also raised - “about kindergartens, about places in kindergartens. Wherever I go, wherever I am, I am almost always asked this question during meetings with people. At the beginning of 2010, 1 million 684 thousand children were in the queue for kindergartens. In this queue, they are often recorded, in fact, even before the birth of the child.

According to the President, “It is precisely because of the lack of kindergartens that young families often postpone the birth of children or limit themselves to one child.” All regions are instructed “implement programs for the reconstruction of old and construction of new kindergartens, ... to develop a system of non-state child care institutions and family kindergartens, ... for children who do not attend kindergartens, it is necessary to create pre-school groups in general education schools.

It is appropriate to recall that 4 years ago Dmitry Medvedev spoke about the need to increase the accessibility of preschool education: “In the 90s, unfortunately, in a number of regions we, in fact, squandered this fund. In many places it turned out to be either destroyed or sold to the side, and, of course, now a joint common task ours is to restore the capacity of preschool institutions” . However, in the last 4 years, the number of preschool institutions has continued to decline with an increase in the number of children and the load on working kindergartens (Table 5).

Table 5. Preschool educational institutions

years	Number of preschool educational institutions - total, thous.	Number of children in preschool educational institutions - total, thousand people

The head of state announced a large-scale reform of demographic policy. The new measures will help those who do not have enough money to decide to raise a family. And they will start working in 2018. Payments for the birth of the first child are being introduced, the mother capital program is being extended, the possibility of using its funds is expanding, and a special mortgage loan program will appear. And also there will be no queues in the nursery and clinics.

"We need active work both to reduce mortality and to stimulate the birth rate," Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Presidential Coordinating Council for the implementation of the national strategy of action in the interests of children for 2012-2017. "Children are the future of Russia," he stressed.

"We need to reset our demographic development policy," the president continued. - In the foreground to support the stimulation of the birth rate - large families with modest incomes, as well as the creation of additional incentives for the birth of second and third children. "Particular attention is given to young families," he said. Most often, their incomes are very small and this often holds back the birth of children.

"Measures were discussed for a long time and the time has come to make a decision and announce it," the head of state said. New measures to support Russian families will start working from January 1, 2018.

First: there will be a monthly cash payment at the birth of the first child and until they reach 1.5 years. The amount will be calculated from the subsistence level of the child in the region for the 2nd quarter of the previous year of applying for the specified payment. On average, in 2018 the amount will be 10,532 rubles, in 2019 - 10,836 rubles, in 2020 - 11,143 rubles. The payment will be targeted, taking into account the income of families - it will be received by those whose earnings are not more than one and a half times the subsistence level of the able-bodied population in the region. Expenses for this program over three years will amount to 144.5 billion rubles.

The second is maternity capital. 11 years have passed since the introduction of this measure, and the project was supposed to end at the end of next year. But people are asking what will happen next, Putin noted and announced: it was decided to extend the program until December 31, 2021.

In fact, we need to reset our demographic development policy

And that's not all: there will be additional features use of capital. Those in particular need will be able to receive funds in the form of monthly payments. That is, the approach here is the same, targeted. And parents will receive funds in the same way until the child is one and a half years old. It will also be possible to direct maternity capital to pay for the services of kindergartens and nurseries - already from 2 months. "Mom will be able to continue her work or education," Putin said.

It has already been announced that the number of regions that receive co-financing from the federal budget for the payment of benefits for the third child will be expanded. This allowance is provided until the child is three years old. The criteria for need are set by the regions. Co-financing goes where there is an unfavorable demographic situation and the total birth rate is below the average for Russia. This year, 50 regions benefited from co-financing. And from 2018, 60 regions will be able to receive it, those where two or fewer children are born, that is, the regional birth rate is increasing.

Another measure that is extremely important for young families is housing. Putin announced the launch of a special mortgage loan program. From January 1, 2018, subsidized interest rates in excess of 6 percent will be provided for three years from the date of issuance of the loan for the second child and five years for the third. This applies both to purchases in the primary market and to the refinancing of previously obtained loans. The measure will be able to cover over 500,000 families in five years, the president said. Moreover, if the program is coming to an end, and the child has just been born, then the period for granting subsidies will be extended.

Another problem is the queues in the nursery. In kindergartens, they are practically eliminated. Now you need to do the same for the little ones. Over 326,000 jobs must be created in two years.

It is necessary to increase the availability and improve the quality of medical care, the head of state said. There was a good breakthrough in the creation of perinatal centers, but there are big problems in children's polyclinics both with equipment and with queues. This is a deterrent when deciding on the birth of a child, the president believes.

We are talking about the future of the country, about the fact that as many children as possible are born in Russia and that their living conditions improve.

More than 50 billion rubles will be required for the reconstruction of children's polyclinics and their re-equipment. The regions will not be able to do this only at their own expense, Putin noted. Therefore, within three years, the main part of the amount - 10 billion rubles a year - will be provided by the federal budget. The head of state instructed the government and regions to quickly work out a detailed schedule for reconstruction and overhaul, approve the terms of co-financing and select polyclinics.

"We are talking about the future of the country, so that as many children as possible are born in Russia and that living conditions improve," the president concluded. His speech in the hall was met with applause.

Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko thanked the head of state for his personal attention to this problem. "I'm in a good way shocked by what I heard: these are not some cosmetic proposals!" - she said.

The national strategy for the benefit of children made it possible to consolidate efforts around this topic, the speaker of the Federation Council said. For the first time, the state has addressed the issue of childhood on such a "large-scale, systematic and firm basis" and much has already been decided.

"I'm sure next year will be a record year in terms of having children," Matvienko expects. "Children's" budget spending is growing from year to year, she said. It was possible to halve the number of orphans in orphanages and on special registration, there is no such thing in the world, the chairman of the Federation Council added.

The child population of our country has grown by 3 million in five years, Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets calculated. But not all regions are ready to implement the measures indicated by the president, she noted. For example, regarding the allowance for a third child, the Perm Territory did not put such an allowance into its budget, the deputy chairman of the government was indignant. There are seven regions where the problem of queues in kindergartens has not been closed, Golodets also said. And in the first place here is Crimea. However, in the next three years the situation should be resolved.

At the meeting, the results of the implementation of the National Action Strategy for Children were summed up. It was designed for five years. "The strategy has indeed acquired an all-Russian and national character, and, of course, it could not have been otherwise, since we are talking about children, about the future of Russia," Putin said. "In general, the results are very worthy, positive," he said. This year, the President announced the beginning of the Decade of Childhood, and yesterday he supported the idea of ​​creating a body to control the implementation of the project: Matviyenko will take care of this work. Putin also agreed with the proposal to soften the criminal law against juvenile delinquents for a number of crimes. And speaking about the issues of juvenile justice, he stressed that it is unacceptable to infringe on the interests of parents. "We have our own traditions of a strong family, and this shameless interference in family life is unacceptable," he concluded.

love talent

After announcing new steps to improve the demographic situation in the country, Vladimir Putin met in the Kremlin over a cup of tea with the winners of the All-Russian Family of the Year competition. This year, 322 families from 85 regions took part in it.

The competition is being held for the second year, but the number of participants has increased dramatically, the President noted. "The family is the foundation of our entire society, the entire state, but it's not even so much about that. It's primarily about the human component. We all love children, we understand that this is our future, but not everyone can properly build work, properly organize this work in families, - he said. - In a family, of course, everything happens, as elsewhere, but talent - namely talent - of people who manage to overcome all difficulties, and manage to overcome them, if not easily, then on the basis of kindness and love to a friend, this talent is worth a lot, just like the talent to create an atmosphere of warmth, kindness, mutual support." "Here you are succeeding, with which I first of all congratulate you," Putin added.

The head of state said that a whole package of programs had been prepared to support families with children. And it turned out that he anticipated the questions that were asked at the meeting, and many of the requests made there.

A treat was prepared for the table: wild berries, crumbly cookies, macaroons and even a candy, for some reason, on a fork. But after the president's opening speech, the participants were a little confused - many did not dare to touch the dishes. Then the President encouraged them. "The candy sticks out appetizingly on the fork," he smiled, "people think whether you can start or not, you can!"

Infographics "RG": Leonid Kuleshov/Anton Perepletchikov/Alexander Smirnov/Alexandra Beluza

The families were from various regions, including new ones. The President promised to create a modern museum complex with branches of leading museums in Sevastopol. "I recently spoke about Vladivostok, where the Hermitage and the Russian Museum are planning to open their branches. To do this, we have created a separate modern museum complex. I think the same can be done for Sevastopol. And we will definitely do it," he promised. In general, one should think about the construction of modern cultural facilities in Sevastopol, Putin believes. We need a good musical theatre, training bases for theatrical workers.

“We would build even more, we are ready to allocate as much funds as necessary in order to achieve at least the average Russian level and above. The question is in the capacity of the construction complex that operates in Crimea,” the president responded to the gratitude of the laureates for the development of the peninsula. “Frankly speaking, I don’t really want to attract from the outside massively ... I want local residents, local companies to work, but their capacities are still limited,” he added.

One of the guests, an international master of sports in archery, spoke about the organization of children's competitions in this sport. “There is still a lot to be done to support archery in general,” the head of state said. “We will do it gradually, especially since we have good results in this sport, it needs to be supported.”

Putin also appreciated the poem about his hard work: it was read right at the meeting by a poet, a father with many children from Sakhalin. The work is called: "I do not envy you, Mr. President." "Keep writing poetry!" - appreciated the head of state. "There is nothing more interesting than doing art with love," he praised the family's many talents.

The New Year's wish of a family from Ingushetia came true yesterday. The little twins wrote to Santa Claus - they would like to shake hands with the president. It came true. "Now let's do it," he responded to the request of the boys. But another child was not so lucky: he dreamed so much that his family would win the competition, he wanted to see the head of state so much that, having learned that everyone was going to the Kremlin, he fell ill from excitement and high temperature stayed at home. The President wished him well.

The demographic situation in Russia is getting worse again

"Today, mainly due to objective reasons, the demographic situation in Russia is escalating again," Putin said at a meeting of the Coordinating Council for the implementation of a national strategy in the interests of children.

“This trend was predictable, related to the consequences of previous, superimposed deep demographic recessions. I mean the recession during the Great Patriotic War(1943-1944) and about the same decline in the mid-1990s. in connection with the huge problems that have arisen in the economy, and, in fact, the collapse in the social sphere," the President stressed.

The authorities will take measures to prevent a decline in the population

"We need to take a set of measures that will allow us to stabilize and prevent a decrease in the population of Russia in the coming decade. This requires active and consistent work in all areas: both to reduce mortality and to stimulate the birth rate. In fact, we need to restart our demographic development policy" - said the head of state.

With regard to the birth rate, support for large families, families with modest incomes, and the creation of additional incentives for the birth of a second and third child come to the fore.

“It is also necessary to pay special attention to young families. These are, as a rule, families with low incomes. These are young people who are either still studying or have just entered the labor force, and incomes are very modest, as a rule. And this often holds back the birth of the first child, the appearance of the first child," Putin said.

The maternity capital program will be extended until 2022.

“I propose to extend the maternity capital program until December 31, 2021. In addition, introduce additional opportunities for its use,” the president stressed.

Maternity capital funds should be allowed to be received in the form of monthly payments to those families that are in particular need. "The same targeted approach will apply here as with payments for the first child. That is, payments will be determined in the amount of the subsistence minimum for a child in the region. And for families with incomes that do not exceed one and a half times the subsistence level of the able-bodied population," Putin said. .

Maternity capital will also be allowed to be used to pay for preschool education services, to care for and look after a child from the age of two months. "I know that the demand for this measure is very high, in particular, after the birth of a child, a mother will be able to continue work or education," the president said.

Russia will introduce monthly payment at the birth of the first child

"To support the birth rate, I propose starting from January of the upcoming 2018 to begin implementing a number of new measures to support Russian families. To establish a monthly cash payment which will be provided at the birth of the first child and paid until they reach one and a half years," Putin said.

The amount of payments will be determined based on the subsistence level of the child, established in the subject of the Federation. "On average, it will amount to 10,523 rubles in 2018, 10,836 rubles in 2019, and 11,143 rubles in 2020. At the same time, the payment will be targeted," the head of state stressed.

Family income must be taken into account. “And I think it’s fair: first of all, to support those who really need it,” Putin explained and added that the amount of payments “will be determined in the amount of the subsistence minimum for children established in the constituent entity of the Federation for the II quarter of the previous year of applying for this payment ".

Payments under the program aimed at supporting families with the birth of their first child will amount to 144.5 billion rubles. in three years.

Families with a second and third child will receive mortgage benefits

"I propose to launch special program mortgage lending. Families in which a second or third child is born from January 1, 2018 will be able to take advantage of its opportunities. When buying housing on the primary market or refinancing previously received mortgage loans, families will be able to count on state subsidies of interest rates in excess of 6% per annum," Putin said.

According to the Central Bank, the average mortgage rate is 10.5%. If a family with a second or third child takes at this rate, then the state will help with the payment of 4.5%, and the family will be left with 6%. "That is, in this case, the state assumes more than 4% of the cost of the loan. According to the Ministry of Construction, in the next five years, this program can cover over 500,000 families," Putin explained.

The authorities will repair the old and build new children's clinics

"The government, together with the regions, needs to quickly work out a detailed schedule for the reconstruction and overhaul of children's polyclinics, including outpatient departments of hospitals," the president said. The government should approve the conditions for co-financing hospitals and the rules for selecting polyclinics. "To do this, taking into account the readiness of design estimates and, above all, the severity of the problem," the head of state noted and added that such a measure would improve medical care for children.

The authorities will eliminate queues in nurseries and kindergartens

Putin set the task of eliminating queues in the nursery. "We have practically solved the problem with places in kindergartens. Now we need to eliminate the queues in nurseries for children from two months to three years old. And this must be done as quickly as possible. Now applications have been received from parents of more than 326 thousand children. The same number of nursery places planned to be created in the next two years," the president said.