02 December 2003 22:48
Russian minister moots extra government aid for disabled people
Moscow, 2 December: The Russian government plans to increase its financing of social assistance for disabled people.
This is set out in a new federal programme of social support for people with disabilities, Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Galina Karelova told journalists on the eve of the [International] Day of Disabled Persons. She said that the programme
is currently being refined, and expectations are that "it will be adopted in the near future".
Karelova said that the financing of social support for disabled people had improved substantially over the last few
years. This year as well, R7bn was allocated from the federal budget to implement the law on disabled people. That is
more than in previous years. At the same time, R13bn have been allocated to pay for discounts on housing and municipal
services. Disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War [World War II] have been allocated R7.7bn of social
assistance.
However, according to Karelova, the problem is that "not all disabled people are aware of their rights and the
payments to which they are entitled". Therefore, special public awareness work is planned, the deputy prime
minister said.
She also noted that, of late, the problems faced by disabled people are being addressed not only at state level, but
at regional level as well. Karelova highlighted 10 constituent parts of the Russian Federation in particular, including
Moscow and St Petersburg, Leningrad and Saratov Regions and Krasnodar Territory. "A rehabilitation and training
programme for disabled people is being implemented through the system in St Petersburg," Karelova said. In
addition, the Hermitage and the Russian Museum have been fully refitted so that wheelchair users can visit them.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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