The poverty has declined in Russia by 1.1 million people in the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister for Social Policy Tatyana Golikova said.
"If last year the number of citizens below the poverty line was 14.4% of the population - 21.1 million people in the first half of the year, now this figure for the first half of 2018 was reduced by 1.1 million people," RIA Novosti cited her as saying.
Golikova explained that long holidays and a low level of employment in the first quarter of the year, as a rule, makes a significant contribution to indicators characterizing poverty.
The vice prime minister specified that the government, forming the forecast of social and economic development, is based on the fact that over the next six years it will be possible to reduce poverty twice. However, according to her, it is one of the most difficult tasks identified by the president Vladimir Putin.
"Based on the results of 2018, we will estimate not just the poverty situation, but also its structure, new trends. And I do not exclude that we will take additional measures to support demography and, perhaps, support families with children " the vice prime minister said.
Golikova pointed out that an additional package of measures will be introduced only after all the data on the socio-economic situation in Russia will be known by the end of this year, that is, after the first quarter of next year. The politician said that the means to implement new measures can be taken "from a variety of source." At the moment, she explained that it is necessary to determine actions.
Professor of the Department of Labor and Social Policy at the Institute of Public Administration and Management of RANEPA Lubov Khrapylina, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the reduction in the number of poor in Russia is connected with the recent policy pursued by the state.
