30 august 2012

Background material for the August 30,2012 Government meeting (press release)

Press release*

The following issues are scheduled for discussion at the Government meeting on  August 30, 2012:

1. The plan of priority measures until 2014 on implementing the most important provisions of the National Strategy for Children’s Interests for 2012-2017

The action plan will be implemented in conjunction with other strategic documents setting out state policy priorities of the Russian Federation in respect of children, including in conjunction with the Concept of the Socioeconomic Development of the Russian Federation until 2020, the Concept of the Demographic Policy of the Russian Federation until 2025, priority national projects, relevant federal targeted, state and departmental programmes, as well as in conjunction with regional development strategies (programmes) in respect of children.  

2. Approving the distribution of 2012 federal budget subsidies to the Russian regions to support the implementation of the measures of the Federal Targeted Programme for the Development of Education for 2011-2015 in the field Promoting Modern Patterns of the Successful Socialisation of Children throughout Russia

In 2012, subsidies will be allocated to 29 Russian regions on the basis of competitive selection.

3. On the National Coordinating Council to Support Talented Young People

The draft resolution on this issue sets out the creation of the National Coordinating Council to Support of Talented Young People. Its aims are:

- to coordinate the implementation of the Concept of a National System for Identifying and Developing Young Talent;

- to develop proposals on incorporating the mechanisms of identifying and supporting gifted children and young people within the National System for Identifying and Developing Young Talent;

- to support and promote the best regional practices in implementing regional and municipal programmes for working with gifted children and young people;

- to prepare proposals and recommendations for creating the conditions for the development and implementation of the talents of children and young people so that they can achieve outstanding results in their chosen professional fields.

4. Measures aimed at the transition to social norms of consumption of public utilities in the Russian Federation

The introduction of social norms for the consumption of public utilities involves the use of tariff differentiation dependent on the volume of utility consumption within and above established social norms.

It is proposed to adopt a social utility consumption norm through a set of measures, which include the introduction of a social norm of electricity consumption from 2014, and the introduction of a social norm of water consumption from 2015, following the implementation of the relevant pilot projects in the Russian regions in electricity supply in 2013, and in water supply in 2014. 

It is planned to resolve the issue of the advisability of adopting a social norm of heating and gas supply consumption in the 4th quarter of 2014, taking into account the corresponding results related to the electricity and water supplies. 

The set of measures also includes improving social support for covering utilities costs, which will be offered to various categories of the population, including single pensioners who have been living at the same address for at least 10 recent years.  

5. Introducing amendments to the Russian legislation on the development, adoption and application of professional standards 

The need to change the current system is due to the fact that current professional qualifications do not meet the skills required of workers in today’s labour market. In addition, a constantly changing labour market requires a constant upgrading of professional skills. 

To introduce the institute of professional standards into the Russian legislation, the ministry has developed a draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Labour Code of the Russian Federation in the Section on the Legal Definition of the Concept of Professional Standards, the Procedure of their Development and Adoption, which introduces the concepts of “Employee Qualifications” and “Professional Standards,” as well as setting out the authority of the Russian government to establish the procedure for developing and adopting professional standards.

Employers will be able to use the Professional Standard as the basis for specifying the requirements of an employee’s performance, taking into account the specifics of the organisation.

6. Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law On Public Civil Service in the Russian Federation

This draft law is aimed at enabling the participation of the representatives of public councils under the state bodies in the activities of tender committees and certifying commissions jointly with independent civil service experts.

7. Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to Certain Regulatory Acts of the Government of the Russian Federation on Increasing the Transparency of Self-Regulating Organisations

This draft law is aimed at increasing the transparency of self-regulating organisations, including determining the composition of information subject to mandatory publication and establishing liability for failure to follow the specified requirements.  

In particular, under the draft law a self-regulating organisation must have its own website and domain name, and hold the direct rights over them. In accordance with the federal laws, a self-regulating organisation must post information about its activities and a register of its members on its website.

8. Measures to improve  e-document sharing in the work of State government bodies

The draft resolution introduces amendments to the Rules for Preparing Regulatory Acts of the Federal Executive Bodies and their State Registration.  

These amendments are aimed at improving the information and technology support of the Russian government and federal executive bodies, to introduce e-document sharing between the federal executive bodies and Russian Government Staff. 

9. Introducing amendments to the Statute on the Federal Road Agency

The draft resolution gives the Federal Road Agency powers to develop sets of rules, draft rules and methods of research (tests) and measurements, including rules for selecting samples needed for the application and enforcement of technical regulations.  

10. Abolishing the Interdepartmental Commission for Preparing and Holding International Interregional Economic Forums

11. Allocating in 2012 federal budget subsidies to the Republic of Tatarstan for the purchase of passenger vehicles for transporting passengers during the preparation and holding of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and the XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi

The draft resolution proposes allocating to the Republic of Tatarstan federal budget funds for co-financing Tatarstan’s projected costs for purchasing 154 buses for transporting passengers during the preparation and holding of the Games.

12. Allocating in 2012-2013 federal budget subsidies to St Petersburg for the purchase of specialised and passenger vehicles for transporting passengers during the preparation and holding of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and the XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi

The draft resolution proposes allocating federal budget funds to St Petersburg in 2012 and 2013 for co-financing St Petersburg’s projected costs for purchasing specialised passenger vehicles (100 buses and 1 tow truck) for transporting passengers during the preparation and holding of the Games.

13. Allocating federal budget funds to the administration of the Krasnodar Territory for providing assistance to people affected by the emergency situation resulting from the flooding that took place on 22 August 2012 in the Tuapse District (Krasnodar Territory)

The draft governmental directive on this issue has been prepared on the instructions given by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on 24 August 24,  2012 (Telephone conversation with Alexander Tkachyov and Valery Gayevsky)

Under the draft directive, the Krasnodar Territory administration will receive budget allocations from the Reserve Fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for Prevention and Liquidation of Emergency Situations and the Aftermath of Natural Disasters; in addition, the Krasnodar Territory will receive financial assistance from the federal budget aimed at supporting regional budget balances. These funds will be used for one-off payments to families of people who  deceased during  the disaster; for one-off payments to people affected by the disaster; for financial assistance to citizens who have partially or completely lost their essential property as the result of the disaster; for one-off payments to families to cover burial costs of family members deceased during the disaster; for payments to people who have suffered damage, for major repairs of damaged homes; and for the construction and purchase of new homes to replace the homes people lost as the result of the disaster.    

The draft directive also includes a recommendation to the Krasnodar Territory administration: to make additional payments to the families of people who deceased in the disaster; to offer Krasnodar Territory budget funds for providing assistance to people who have partially or completely lost their essential property; to offer temporary accommodation, treatment and recovery in sanatoriums and health resorts to pregnant women, women with children, children, elderly people and people with disabilities who suffered in the disaster, as well as to citizens whose homes were damaged or lost in the disaster, if they consent.     

14. Allocating budget funds to the Government of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria from the Reserve Fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for Prevention and Liquidation of Emergency Situations and the Aftermath of Natural Disasters to provide compensation for the damage inflicted by legal actions in suppressing a terrorist attack on 12 March 2012 in the village of Shalushka (Chegemsky Municipal District, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria)

15. Allocating budget funds to the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), based on court rulings, from the Reserve Fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for Prevention and Liquidation of Emergency Situations and the Aftermath of Natural Disasters to finance the disaster cleanup operations related to the spring flooding that took place in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 2010

Moscow,

August 29, 2012.

 * The contents of press releases by the Department of Press Service and Information  are based on the  materials submitted by the federal executive bodies for discussion by the Government meeting.