MOSCOW, September 23 (RAPSI) – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Government to make a provision for increased payments to families having children aged from 3 to 7, the press service of the President informs on Wednesday.

The Government is asked to allocate the required funds since the beginning of 2021 and develop clear, understandable, and fair criteria for provision of additional support to the families, whose monthly incomes are below respective regional subsistence levels per person, the President said addressing Senators.

Putin noted that the amount of such a payment currently makes half of the subsistence level as to children of each concrete region and makes on the national average 5,500 rubles (about $72 at the current exchange rate).

The President also asked the Government and the Federation Council to analyze the current situation as to creation of additional preschool places for children three years old and younger in order to make up for time lost due to the pandemic.