The agenda: the results of the 2024-2025 heating season and tasks regarding preparations for the 2025-2026 heating season; the results of implementing the 2024 federal budget; the results of implementing state programmes in 2024; implementing the budgets of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund and the Social Security Fund; support for the regions.
Excerpts from the transcript:
Government meeting
Government meeting
Government meeting
Mikhail Mishustin: Good afternoon, colleagues.
Today, the agenda of the Government meeting includes the results of the heating season. We will discuss, in detail, how housing and utilities enterprises and those of the power-generating sector completed this period, and we will also focus on objectives linked with preparations for the next winter season.
We have a large territory. Although summer is here, some regions continue to experience sufficiently low temperatures, and their buildings are still being heated. As the President noted, it is important that the housing and utilities companies operate with clockwork precision, and that deliveries of energy resources are rhythmic and predictable.
To modernise the municipal utilities infrastructure, the Government implements the relevant state programmes and issues budgetary loans.
Last year, we allocated over 10 billion roubles to provide additional support to a number of regions. The funding was used to renovate boiler rooms, water conduits and heating mains, and to compensate for fuel purchase expenses.
As a result, organisations of the housing and utilities sector and power-generating companies successfully weathered winter-time peak loads. The number of accidents decreased considerably compared with the previous period. We take note of this, including in the new Russian territories. The number of such accidents dropped by almost 40 percent in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and by 80 percent in the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Nevertheless, we have to pay special attention to preparing enterprises for the next heating season, including in the border territories – the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions. Already now it is necessary to conduct a meticulous inventory and to check all utility networks.
Later, Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Faizullin and Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev will report on this in greater detail.
Now let us talk about the 2024 budget performance.
The revenues exceeded 36 trillion roubles. The budget deficit, which decreased for a third year running, reached 1.7 percent. The size of the sovereign debt has decreased to less than 14.5 percent of GDP, becoming more comfortable.
We continued to strengthen the diversification of the national economy, which has had a favourable effect on the budgetary balance, primarily due to the increased weight of the non-oil-and-gas sectors, such as machine-building, construction, agriculture and the services. They accounted for 70 percent of budgetary revenues. The majority of our citizens are working in these sectors, and it is to these sectors that the bulk of funds have been invested in innovations and expansion of production.
The economic picture last year was defined by a positive effect of the new logistics routes, a high domestic demand, and Russian companies that filled the places vacated by the departing companies from unfriendly companies.
As per the President’s instructions, the Government continued to improve the large package of state support measures, which has helped boost economic growth by 4.3 percent and created conditions for a gradual decline in inflation rates and the maintenance of our companies’ investment activity, public incomes, and of course, budgetary expenditures, above all for fulfilling our obligations in the social sphere, healthcare, education, support for motherhood and childhood, and families with children.
We will also talk about the implementation of state programmes last year.
This concerns the budget-funded measures and instruments under the Government’s constant control. They have been arranged into nearly 50 groups of vital significance for national development and for the quality of life for the people.
The aggregate effectiveness has been estimated at over 90 percent for three fourths of state programmes and 100 percent for four programmes, which is twice as many as in 2023.
These programmes include the comprehensive development of rural areas, the construction sector, and the development of shipbuilding and technology for offshore fields. The state programmes are being implemented in the key sectors of the national economy where high-tech projects are underway, including in related segments.
Over half of the main targets have been overfulfilled. For example, 50 percent of the families who signed social contracts have independently increased their incomes after the contracts’ expiry.
I would like to emphasise that the achievement of targets under state programmes has improved, and we must keep this trend going.
I will say a few words about the performance of two state funds.
Last year, the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund primarily invested in free medical services throughout the country. The relevant allocations for regional hospitals and outpatient clinics increased by over 13.5 percent, which helped increase the availability of preventive examinations and medical check-ups.
Our people now
have more opportunities for medical rehabilitation at day inpatient facilities.
Volumes of specialised and high-technology medical care have increased, including within federal clinics where the most complex surgeries are performed using unique techniques, accessible to all citizens of Russia irrespective of their place of residence.
Substantial resources have been allocated to medical institutions recruiting new personnel. This has facilitated the attraction of nearly 6,500 physicians and 9,000 mid-level medical staff to healthcare.
It remains imperative to ensure the stability of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund, guaranteeing that healthcare organisations operate precisely and without disruptions. This is vital for achieving the national objective of population preservation and citizen health reinforcement as established by the President.
Regarding the Social Fund, last year it disbursed various pensions – including insurance, old-age, disability, and others – to over 41 million recipients, along with adjustment for inflation.
Particular attention was devoted to parents with children. A comprehensive package of measures operates in this area. The unified benefit, introduced at the instruction of the President of Russia, was provided to families raising 10.5 million children alongside nearly 340,000 expectant mothers.
The childcare allowance for infants under eighteen months has increased. Over 1.5 million insured citizens have utilised this entitlement.
Approximately 711,000 maternity capital certificates have been issued.
Support for our defenders – veterans of the special military operation – likewise continued.
In general, the Fund executed the majority of social obligations. Crucially, entitled assistance must be provided in full and in a timely manner.
Now, briefly concerning regional support.
January witnessed the launch of the new national project – Infrastructure for Life. By the decade’s end, utilities service quality must improve for no fewer than 20 million residents across our vast country. Towards this end, one billion roubles will be directed to the Republic of Kalmykia and the Pskov Region. Funds will be used to modernise and construct communal infrastructure facilities, including the reconstruction of Pskov’s largest boiler house and the establishment of water supply networks in Kalmykia. This encompasses pipelines to Elista, securing clean drinking water for the republic’s capital. Additionally, presidential instructions mandate funding for preparatory work addressing regional water supply challenges.
It is essential that allocated financing arrives completely and on schedule, with completed works meeting all quality and durability requirements.
