MOSCOW, February 17, 1:35 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia's President Vladimir Putin will hold a session of the presidium of the RF State Council in Cherepovets (Vologda Region) on Monday to discuss the policy in the fields of family, maternity and childhood. The Kremlin press service reports, "Attention will be focused on the theme of implementing the provisions of the presidential 'May Decrees' ".
Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council upper house of parliament, Vice-Premier Olga Golodets, Assistant to the President Igor Levitin, and the heads of Federal ministries, agencies and a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation will participate in the session.
Putin will also visit the Cherepovets metallurgical integrated mill (OAO "Severstal") where he will meet with the workers of the enterprise and discuss this subject.
The future of maternity capital remains one of topical themes connected with the maintenance of motherhood. Discussions on the matter develop along two avenues One of them is connected with an extension of the Programme after 2015 and the other one concerns a broadening or reduction in possibilities for the use of maternity-capital resources. As far as an extension of the Programme is concerned, way back a year ago Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev spoke out in favour of the idea. A similar attitude has been also taken up by many a member of the government. The year 2025 is under consideration in the Cabinet of Ministers among timeframes, for which payments are suggested to be extended.
Alexei Levchenko, press secretary of Vice-Premier Olga Golodets. has told Itar-Tass that it is planned that the discusssion on the future of maternity capital will proceed until summer 2014. Levchenko says there is no final decision so far on how to use the maternity capital.
The Vice-Premier's press secretary pointed out that government members absolutely agree with the possibility of using maternity-capital resources to improve one's housing conditions. Also under discussion is a Labour Ministry proposal to spend maternity capital on starting one's own business. "This proposal is supported for the most part," he added. Under discussion is also the possibility of using the resources for education or for adding it to the cumulative part of pension.
The waiting lists for accommodation in kindergartens still remains yet another unresolved problem which must be fully settled by 2016. Since regions do not cope with resolving this task on their own, they annually get targeted subsidies from the Federal budget. In 2013, resultant of those subsidies, kindergarten accommodation was provided for about 400,000 children. This year, 10 billion roubles are to be assigned as Federal subsidies to 50 regions of Russia for the modernization of the preschool education system. However, as Dmitry Medvedev said at one of recent government meetings, this sum will be augmented subsequently.
"We shall continue to address this task despite economic difficulties," the Premier pointed out.