People's deputies approved allocation of almost $300 million for subsidies

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has increased the total amount of subventions from 2017 state budget to local budgets for benefits and subsidies to citizens for payment of housing and utilities services by $287.7 million - up to $2.6 billion. This decision was adopted today, - UNIAN reports.

292 people's deputies voted for the adoption of relevant amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2017" (No7258 from November 6), with a number of proposals of the committee.

Presenting the bill, representative of the Parliamentary Committee on Budget Ivan Kulichenko noted that following consideration of the bill, the committee suggests the parliament to adopt this document as a basis and in general, taking into account a number of the committee's proposals.

"The Committee decided to recommend the Verkhovna Rada to adopt the bill as a basis and in general as a law, taking into account the proposals, set out in the Committee's conclusion. The committee's decision is coordinated with the Ministry of Finance and will ensure the balance of the state budget", - the deputy said.

According to him, in addition to increasing the volume of subsidies for the population, the bill envisages a $41. 5 million increase in subventions to local budgets for social and economic development, as well as medical subvention for $11.3 million.

Moreover, expenses of the Ministry of Health for treatment of Ukrainian citizens abroad increase, and additional $7.5 million is allocated for strengthening national security. Furthermore, a new $68 million subvention is introduced to pay off the electricity debt to water supply companies in the Donetsk oblast, so that they can ensure nonstop provision of services to the population and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

The representative of the committee noted that, taking into account the proposed amendments, the state budget will be balanced, since additional $491 million of expenses will be compensated by means of reducing expenses for a number of programs, including servicing the national debt and financing the Pension Fund deficit.

As previously reported, according to the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, $2.3 billion of subsidies for payment of housing and utilities services is provided in the state budget of Ukraine for 2017, while the obligations for their payments amounted to $2.68 billion at the beginning of heating season on October 1. In January-October 2017, the state budget of Ukraine received $24.44 billion of income, which is 5.2% more than the budget financing targets for this period and 39.7% higher than the same period in 2016.