OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2010. Vladimir Putin's opening remarks: Good afternoon, colleagues.

Today's meeting of the Presidium of the Council on National Priority Projects will focus on plans to implement the Concept of the Demographic Policy Through 2015 and also specify related goals in education, healthcare and the housing policy.

You know that I mentioned some achievements in the country's demographic development in the report on government performance at the State Duma. However, I will repeat some facts today, which seems to be expedient.

The annual birth rate has exceeded 1.5 million since 2007. More precisely, it was 1.6 million in 2007, 1.7 million in 2008 and 1.76 million in 2009. This is a positive, if moderate dynamic.

In the past four years, the mortality rate has been steadily on the decline and life expectancy has reached 69 years.

Last year, the total population did not decrease but even grew a little.

In other words, we have achieved the goals of the demographic programme's first stage. We can now proceed to the second stage. What are its priorities?

In the next few years, we must not only stabilise Russia's population, but also create conditions for gradual growth. Life expectancy should grow to 71 years. We will use all the tools at our disposal to achieve these goals. We will promote the values of motherhood and childhood, and work to further lower the death rate.

I'd like to remind you that a substantial increase in child allowance and the introduction of the maternity capital have increased family income. Spending for these purposes will remain intact despite problems with the budget and the budget deficit.

At the same time, we should be clear that couples often opt against having a baby for financial reasons, because it is difficult to have a baby and to make a career, and also because they are not sure they can resolve their housing problems or that their children will attend a good kindergarten and subsequently a good school.

To dispel these fears and create additional encouragement for families, we should accelerate the modernisation of preschool education. We must also think of ways to cut queues for preschool openings and more actively introduce preschool development, learning and sports programmes.

The new "Housing" programme should focus on ways to make housing for new families more affordable. The idea is to subsidise interest rates and down payments for mortgage loans and to build more comfortable housing for families with children, mostly single family and low-rise houses.

Also, we should draft special programmes for vocational and advanced training for the women who plan to resume their careers after giving birth to a child. Young mothers could attend such courses during their maternity leave.