"We will definitely do this": Putin instructed the government to index pensions based on actual inflation

The indexation of pensions in Russia should take into account the actual inflation rate, and the authorities intend to follow this procedure.

This was announced by President Vladimir Putin during a big press conference on Thursday, December 23.

“We must not forget about it.

The Government of the Russian Federation will have to do everything to ensure that the communications of the past years are fulfilled.

Until now, we have generally managed to do this, and we will definitely do it, ”the Russian leader emphasized.

The head of state also announced plans to compensate for inflation for military pensioners.

According to the President, relevant decisions will be made next year.

According to the latest data from Rosstat and the Ministry of Economic Development, the annual inflation rate in Russia now exceeds 8.2%.

At the same time, the approved draft budget provides for the indexation of pensions in 2022 by only 5.9%.

“First of all, it is necessary to protect the incomes of the most vulnerable categories of citizens, including pensioners, from inflation.

For the older generation, an increase in payments is a guarantee that they will be able to maintain their usual standard of living without reducing the cost of medicines, food, leisure and recreation, "Svetlana, a member of the State Duma committee on labor, social policy and veterans affairs, said in an interview with RT. Bessarab.

Recall that in November, Vladimir Putin proposed raising the minimum wage (minimum wage) and the cost of living to a level higher than inflation in 2022.

The President signed the corresponding law in early December.

In addition, it is planned to index maternity capital based on actual inflation.

Proposals for an additional increase in pensions are now being worked out in the government.

“We will deal with this issue and work out options for indexing already at the first parliamentary hearings in 2022.

Russia is a social state, and we are obliged to fulfill our obligations to our citizens in full, regardless of the circumstances, ”Bessarab emphasized.

"Faster than other countries"

During the press conference, Vladimir Putin also assessed the general situation in the Russian economy.

According to him, against the background of the coronavirus pandemic and forced quarantine restrictions, the country turned out to be more mobilized and ready for shock events, unlike most other states.

“Our level of economic recession (in 2020. -

) was 3%, which is much lower than in many leading economies in the world, and we have recovered much faster than other countries ... GDP growth of 4.5% is expected this year ", - said the Russian leader.

As the President said, the total volume of industrial production in the country increased by 5%, while the manufacturing industry is growing by 5.2%.

Due to weather conditions, the grain harvest decreased by about 8%, to 123 million tons, but these volumes will be enough both to supply the domestic market and to supply products for export, the head of state assured.

Putin added that in 2021, investments in fixed assets will grow by 6% (in 2020, the indicator decreased by 1.4%).

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According to the president, the construction sector is also showing positive dynamics - the volume of housing commissioned in the country should amount to 90 million square meters.

m. Such a result will be achieved for the first time in the modern history of Russia, the president emphasized.

In addition, the trade surplus almost doubled.

As the head of state noted, in 2020 the volume of Russian exports exceeded the amount of imports by $ 94 billion, and in 2021 the difference will already be $ 184 billion. Also this year, the country managed to reduce its external debt and build up reserves, Putin added.

“The public external debt has slightly decreased, these are the lowest values ​​in the world, somewhere around 4% (GDP. -

).

Our international reserves have grown: they were $ 595 billion, they became $ 625.5 billion. The National Welfare Fund is also growing - $ 185.2 billion. This all speaks of sustainability and good macroeconomics, "Putin said.

Support effect

The positive trends noted by the president are partly related to the peculiarities of the structure of the Russian economy.

This point of view, in an interview with RT, was expressed by Nikita Maslennikov, head of the Finance and Economics department at the Institute of Contemporary Development.

“During the pandemic and lockdowns around the world, the services and entertainment sector suffered the most, which in fact was closed for a long time and even now operates with restrictions.

In developed economies, for example, in the USA or European countries, the industry makes a significant contribution to GDP growth.

Our share of the service sector is lower, so the economic recession was not so significant, and the recovery is proceeding faster, "Maslennikov explained.

However, the main factor in the accelerated economic recovery was the measures taken by the authorities to support the population and business, the specialist is sure.

According to him, the authorities were able to track the situation in time and take it under control, which allowed many industries to quickly adapt to the pandemic.

Recall that back in 2020, the state began to provide direct payments to families with children, subsidies to the most affected enterprises, as well as grants and soft loans to businesses to pay salaries to employees.

In addition, the government has agreed on tax deferrals and exemptions for companies and entrepreneurs.

At the same time, the state launched a program of preferential mortgages and cashback for travel around the country.

According to Vladimir Putin, in 2020 the volume of financial measures to support the economy amounted to about 4.5% of GDP.

In 2021, the authorities allocated additional funds in the amount of about 1% of GDP for these purposes.

“Almost 5.5% of GDP - after all, we didn’t just give out money to anyone.

With the support of the affected sectors of the economy, we aimed everything at preserving jobs, at supporting people with low incomes, especially vulnerable in this situation, "Putin stressed.

Income in positive territory

Due to the government's initiatives, the labor market also recovered at an outstripping pace.

According to the president, the authorities planned to achieve a decrease in unemployment to the pre-pandemic level in 2021 - 4.6-4.7%.

Now the indicator has reached 4.3%, and by the end of the year it may reach 4.4%.

The head of state called the observed recovery in employment "a good indicator of the work of the economy as a whole," but at the same time noted the emergence of difficulties associated with a shortage of labor in a number of industries.

At the same time, the confident recovery of the labor market is accompanied by an increase in citizens' incomes.

“The average monthly salary started to grow in real terms, thank God.

Changes in the real disposable income of the population: if it was minus 2%, then this year we expect growth, ”Putin added.

According to him, in real terms (taking into account inflation), the real incomes of Russians in 2021 will grow by an average of 3.5%.

Experts interviewed by RT associate this not only with a general increase in wages, but also with the actions of the authorities to support citizens in need.

“We have compensated for the losses of the last year.

This is quite understandable, there were payments, especially to families with children, pensioners and the military.

All of this, naturally, raised the overall level of income.

Now we need to end the anti-crisis agenda and move on to sustainable development.

For this, it is necessary that incomes continue to grow, mortality decreases and the birth rate increases, "said Georgy Ostapkovich, director of the Center for Market Research at the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge at the Higher School of Economics, in an interview with RT.