The State Duma will consider “monetizing” nutrition for pregnant women

A new bill has been submitted to the State Duma that would give nursing mothers and pregnant women the right to receive cash compensation in lieu of food that can be picked up at special distribution points.

This draft law was initiated by the Moscow Region Duma. If the draft is passed, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation will be able to choose what kind of assistance from the state they would like to receive. There is no doubt that both the first and the second weeks of pregnancy, and all subsequent weeks, are important for a woman, so nursing mothers and children under 3 years old are entitled to get useful products at special points. The planned transition to cash payments will allow the subjects to increase considerably the financial compensation which will be given to the beneficiaries”, she said. This will take place at the expense of considerable savings on the maintenance of personnel and distribution outlets. If the deputies support this initiative, the monthly cash compensation payments will be similar to other existing benefits. Currently not all citizens are willing to go to the dairy kitchen to buy food. For example, in the Moscow region it had long been demanded that foodstuffs should be replaced with monetary compensation. The initiators of the project are sure that the innovations will make it possible to buy the recommended products on one’s own. The main argument for the change is the issuance of manufactured products, while some need homemade products. Also, cash payments will make it possible to buy groceries close to one’s place of residence. Since in many places the distribution points are not always located within easy reach. As a consequence, many pregnant and nursing women are left without state assistance.