During the first nine months of 2024, expenditures from the Russian federal budget on national projects reached 2.193 trillion rubles, as reported by the press service of the Ministry of Finance. The update shows how funds were directed across a wide array of programs meant to speed up social and economic development, improve public services, upgrade infrastructure, and bolster the government’s capacity to deliver reforms. The figures reflect ongoing activity amid broader economic pressures and a financing landscape that continues to shape planning and execution across regions.
As of October 1, 2024, budget execution for national projects stood at 69.5 percent of the planned allocations, totaling 2,192.8 billion rubles. This readout demonstrates progress toward year-end targets while highlighting the realities of managing large-scale programs in a federal framework. Officials emphasize that procurement cycles, contract settlements, and project readiness all influence the pace of spending, with some initiatives advancing faster due to early procurement and others slower because of design or regulatory hurdles.
The report identifies the strongest absorption in several priority areas. Demography reached 80.8 percent, reflecting sustained efforts to support population and family policy programs. Culture followed at 77.6 percent, indicating ongoing investment in cultural institutions and heritage preservation. Education absorbed 71.6 percent, Health Services 71.4 percent, and Housing and Urban Environment 71.2 percent, collectively signaling robust execution in sectors aimed at improving social services, housing stock, and urban infrastructure. Taken together, these results show a core objective of the national project program: delivering tangible quality‑of‑life improvements through targeted spending.
Other areas posted solid but slightly lower levels of execution. Labor Productivity advanced to 69.4 percent, with initiatives designed to boost efficiency across the economy and workforce. Science and Universities reached 69 percent, underscoring investments in research, higher education, and science infrastructure. Safe Quality Roads registered 67.5 percent, highlighting progress on road construction and maintenance. International Cooperation and Export stood at 67 percent, Ecology at 69 percent, and Tourism and the Accommodation Sector at 58.6 percent. The spread across these lines reflects varying stages of project readiness and procurement timelines, as well as the impact of reforms that streamline how funds reach regional implementations.
On the lower end, several programs lag behind the average. Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Individual Entrepreneurship Initiatives posted 58.4 percent, Digital Economy at 54.2 percent, and Unmanned Aerial Systems at 38.8 percent. These figures point to areas where complexity, regulatory hurdles, and technology adoption cycles can slow spending. Analysts note that digital and aerospace initiatives often require pilots, testing phases, and supplier onboarding, which can stretch timelines relative to other social or infrastructure programs. In some cases, project scope and financing arrangements shift between quarters, contributing to slower absorption. The comprehensive plan for modernization and expansion of the main infrastructure, particularly the transport component, recorded the lowest execution level at 35 percent, underscoring the scale and coordination demands of major transport upgrades.
Earlier, Vladimir Yakushev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, described the draft federal budget as balanced. This assessment signals parliamentary support for a framework that aligns revenue and expenditure projections while maintaining fiscal stability across the economy.
In the State Duma, lawmakers welcomed the idea of paying a 13th pension at year-end, seeing it as a socially important measure for retirees amid ongoing fiscal adjustments. Debates continue about how best to structure pension benefits within the evolving budget envelope, balancing social commitments with long-term sustainability.