During his annual address to the State Duma, the Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, reviewed the implementation of United Russia party initiatives in 2021. He outlined a series of measures aimed at expanding access to essential services and strengthening regional support networks across the country.
The Prime Minister highlighted a strong demand for free gas connections to households, noting that applications surpassed 750,000 and more than 300,000 contracts were signed. He emphasized ongoing efforts to extend social gasification nationwide and to standardize the cost of a basic equipment package for several categories of citizens. These support measures are currently in place across 63 regions, reflecting a broad geographic reach.
According to Mishustin, more than a thousand regional polyclinics were renovated last year, accompanied by the purchase of over 37,000 medical devices. The health sector benefited from the deployment of 5,500 private vehicles for doctors and paramedics and the dispatch of 1,600 ambulances to communities throughout the federation. In rural areas, approximately 3,000 FAPs were built and replaced to serve about eight million residents.
In addition, nearly 1,500 mobile medical complexes were delivered to small settlements where organizing FAPs proved impractical. This mobile network enabled examinations for more than 3.5 million people, and the commitment to expand these services remains strong.
Mishustin also spoke about providing hot meals to primary school students. He recalled that the president, in collaboration with regional authorities, supported free hot meals for children in primary grades. He noted that 7.5 million children benefited, describing this as practical assistance that alleviates family costs, particularly for households with multiple children or parents who work all day. The Prime Minister shared that he had asked MP Tatyana Golikova to maintain high-level attention on this program and to ensure continued oversight.
Broadband Internet access has now been extended to all hospitals, polyclinics, FAPs, colleges, and universities in Russia, with more than 75,000 socially significant institutions connected to date. This digital expansion complements the physical health and education infrastructure improvements.
Looking at early childhood and education, the government reported the opening of 324 kindergartens serving over 50,000 children in various regions during the year. Nearly a hundred new schools were constructed as part of ongoing development. The child tourist refund program also reached nearly 400,000 children last year, with plans to continue expanding its reach and impact across the country.