The Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development presented maps of projects to support families and to support socially disadvantaged groups, which are on the list of projects aimed at implementing the key government policies for the period through 2012, and a new draft government programme to ensure people with disabilities equal access to social infrastructure.
The families support project is aimed at creating a favourable environment for boosting birth rate and at improving the lives of families with children; boosting the status of families that have or adopt children; and improving the policies to support families in a difficult situation.
The other project map, support of socially disadvantaged groups, includes such objectives as a more effective system of social benefits paid to socially disadvantaged groups, modernisation and improvement of social services as well as the rehabilitation industry and institutions.
Mr Shuvalov approved both project maps, which will be soon finalised and presented to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for signing.
The commission also considered a new government programme, Accessible Environment, currently in the works, which is aimed at making all social services and facilities, including educational and cultural institutions, as well as information and communications technologies equally accessible by people with disabilities.
Other project maps discussed at the meeting were High-Quality and Affordable Housing, and Improvement of Housing and Utilities Services, proposed by the Regional Development Ministry.
Mr Shuvalov issued instructions to finalise the projects, with a special focus on defining criteria of economy class housing. He added that housing-related project maps had to be coordinated with professionals and public associations. "We need to work in an open and transparent manner with the professional community. This way, the project maps you propose will be supported by the public and the government," he said.