The agenda includes adjusting pensions for working citizens, increasing the minimum wage, expanding the family mortgage programme, expanding support for the project financing factory, additional financing for the provision of medicines, and medical products to citizens entitled to benefits.
Mikhail Mishustin’s opening remarks:
Good afternoon, colleagues,
Briefing with deputy prime ministers
In his speech at the plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, the president listed an entire range of key solutions and initiatives necessary for a structural rebuilding of the economy. They concern all people in the country and are aimed at supporting industries and social sphere, entrepreneurship, attraction of investment and development of the country in general. I will elaborate on some of them.
In line with the presidential instruction, starting from February 2025, the working citizens’ pensions will be adjusted again. Today, there are over 7.8 million working pensioners, who have rich experience and skills and are in high demand in the market. It is important to create conditions for them to be able to continue working and share their knowledge with the young generation of specialists. They will be paid both a salary, and a pension with annual adjustment like those who have retired.
Another task is to further raise the minimum wage. Starting next year, it will be tied with the median salary received by the majority of those employed in the economy, and will amount to almost half of that amount. That is, the minimum wage will go up another 15 percent to reach over 22,000 roubles per month, and no less than 35,000 roubles per month by 2030. The Government must implement all this.
Ms Golikova, please, take these issues under your personal control. Please, draft amendments to the federal legislation together with State Duma deputies as quickly as possible. We hope that all the necessary decisions will be made during the spring session.
Let me stress that the process of resuming the adjustment of pensions should proceed without failures and be as convenient for the people as possible, without any additional applications to be filed. It is also necessary to provide explanations on the calculation procedure so that citizens understand what amount they will receive and the breakdown of that amount.
At the forum, the president paid special attention to supporting families. Starting from 1 July, it is necessary to provide preferences for them to purchase housing in small towns and regions where the volume of construction in this sector is still insufficient. Parents there will be able to take advantage of a family mortgage at 6 percent, regardless of the age of the children. The main condition is that at least one child is a minor when they are applying for the loan.
These preferential conditions for families who build their own home will apply in all Russian regions.
People are waiting for these programmes to be launched. It is important to implement the president’s instruction on time and organise all the necessary work.
The president also proposed expanding the capabilities of the Project Finance Factory. Its mechanism allows investors to fix a comfortable level of expense costs, which is needed most during periods of high key interest rate.
More than 30 initiatives with a total cost of about 2 trillion roubles are already being implemented using this tool. Nine more have been endorsed, and the corresponding agreements will be signed soon.
The selection continues, and businesses are interested in receiving such assistance from the state.
We will be consistently increasing the funds of the factory. At the first stage they will go up by 100 billion roubles to 600 billion, as the president said. Thus, it will be possible to additionally support real sector’s projects worth up to 6 trillion roubles.
I am asking the Ministry of Economic Development, together with the Ministry of Finance, to ensure that the relevant draft resolution is submitted to the Government. Mr Grigorenko, please take control of this issue.
Colleagues,
All presidential instructions must be fully fulfilled on time. Please carefully control the work in the areas you coordinate. We always do this after receiving presidential instructions. We must compile a complete list of measures and control their implementation.
Now about the decision made on providing social assistance.
Certain categories of our people entitled to free medicines, medical products, and medical nutrition. These are veterans, Chernobyl victims, and people with disabilities, including children with disabilities.
The president particularly noted the importance of maintaining this support, emphasising that saving the people and strengthening people’s health are a long-term priority for us.
The government has prepared a directive to allocate about 2 billion roubles for these purposes, which will increase the volume of subventions for such payments both to the regions and to each of those who receive assistance.
In total, this year the federal budget has allocated almost 58 billion roubles to meet people’s needs.
Ms Golikova, please, ensure that the funds are allocated to the localities by the Ministry of Health as soon as possible. People’s health and well-being depend on this.
