According to Mr. Gryzlov, the bill covers 33 million Russians, including 14 million provided with the allowance form the federal budget and 19 million from regional budgets. "It means practically every Russian family", he said. Mr. Gryzlov emphasized that the topic was widely discussed in the public, and opinions differed. "It mostly relates to the fact that we have not done our best to explain the ideas underlying the law", said the State Duma speaker.
At the same time, he stressed that, in his opinion, the bill was "progressive". "We should replace the abstract, unequally received privileges with a transparent system of their cash compensation", Mr. Gryzlov pointed out. "Anyway, we will do everything possible not to make the citizens, entitled for the privileges, feel worse after the law is adopted", he explained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gryzlov admitted that throughout Russia the law would not work the same way. "Perhaps, some regions will retain the existing benefits system, and some will introduce the cash compensations".
The State Duma chairman spoke for increased cash compensations amounts, as compared to those proposed by the government for various categories of citizens, in particular Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia and disabled children.
Eleonora Sheremetieva, president of Russia's Municipal Formations Congress and head of the Uglich municipal district (Volga region), pointed out speaking at the meeting that the problem of benefits had been up in the air for a long time". "We spoke for targeted privileges and replacing them with cash compensations long ago".
Vladimir Bashmachnikov, president of Russia's Farms and Agricultural Cooperatives Association, noted that rural population backed the idea of replacing the privileges with cash allowances. "It is an important initiative, arranging the benefits system, and I believe that the concept is reasonable and good", Mr. Bashmachnikov pointed out.
