CHEREPOVETS, February 17. /ITAR-TASS/. President Vladimir Putin intends to address the most complex issues concerning help to mothers and children at a meeting of the State Council Presidium to be held in Cherepovets, northern Vologda region.

At a meeting with employees of the Cherepovets Steel Mill (known as Severstal), which he visited after arrival, Putin said, “We want to discuss all complex issues concerning motherhood and childhood. I asked governors to summarize the most complex issues. I am sure you understand that we try to solve the most challenging of them all the time… not only at the federal level but we try to encourage regions to address your problems.”

Prior to the meeting, Putin was taken a tour of one of the most technologically advanced production shops at the plant that makes hot dip galvanized steel sheets. The production line designed by a Belgian firm can make up to 50 different kinds of steel sheets for the automobile industry.

Severstal Director-General Alexei Mordashov told Putin that the products made by the plant “have a very valuable quality — they are firm and ductile at the same time. They can withhold big pressure on impact in a car crash.”

He said the line had allowed the plant to increase the production of items with added value, thus making it more competitive and allowing it to solve more social problems. “Our fringe benefits package is the best in the industry,” Mordashov said.

The Cherepovets Steel Mill is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel related mining companies, with assets in Russia, the USA, the Ukraine, Latvia, Poland, Italy, Liberia and Brazil. Severstal is listed on RTS and MICEX and the company’s GDRs are traded on the LSE. Severstal reported revenue of $14,104 million and EBITDA of $2,119 million in 2012. Severstal’s crude steel production in 2012 reached 15.14 million tonnes.

The State Council is an advisory body to the Russian president, which deals with issues of the highest importance to the state as a whole. The council was established by the president on September 1, 2000.

Attending the meeting will be Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council, upper house of Russian parliament, Audit Chamber Head Tatyana Golikova, presidential aide Igor Levitin, heads of federal ministries and agencies, and some regional leaders.

The State Council’s working group has suggested drafting proposals allowing citizens with children of preschool age to combine their professional and family duties and creating conditions for women under the age of 23 with children to undergo professional training.

The group also proposed creating conditions for developing public-private partnership and volunteer movement to support and assist families with children, including care for children of preschool age.

The working group suggested providing public social aid to lower-income families under social contracts, which will require parents to get employed, and take care of and bring up their children.

The group called for supporting business projects of young families with children or projects aimed at providing services to families with children under the program of support to small and medium-size business.

It also suggested taking measures to improve the quality and optimise the timing of television and radio programs for children and young people with a view to promoting a healthy lifestyle and family values among them.