The very expression “ration cards” in 2017 evokes strange feelings. People of the older generation can remember the war and post-war years, when products were issued using such cards. Younger people remember well the last years of the USSR, when there was a general shortage of everything, including basic food products, which were distributed using “coupons.” However, the country is returning to the idea of food cards, and in 2017 they are coming into use again.
Why did the idea arise to introduce food cards?
It is no secret that since 2014, life has become more and more difficult for the poorest sections of the Russian population. The cost of products has skyrocketed, their quality has also fallen sharply, tariffs are constantly rising, and the budget simply does not have enough money to index pensions and benefits by an amount sufficient to compensate for the level of inflation. Thus, in 2017 there will be no indexation of pensions at all, and many other payments will be frozen.
The number of Russians who fall below the poverty line is growing year by year, so despite the modest budgetary capabilities, the government was forced to look for ways to support those most in need, one of such ways was the proposal to reintroduce food cards in the country in 2017.
What will food cards look like in 2017?
The cards will be a plastic card like a bank card, to which a certain amount of money will be credited every month, however, these funds can be spent exclusively on those goods that the government has determined, namely:
- Meat products,
- Dairy products,
- Fish,
- Vegetables and fruits (Russian only),
- Seeds and seedlings.
As we can see, the list included the most necessary products for a relatively healthy diet, although, for example, bread is not on it. I am glad that the subsidiary farming was not forgotten, and the state decided to include seeds and seedlings in the list for those who are engaged in subsistence farming and grow vegetables in their own garden.
Thus, the government prohibits the use of funds from food cards to purchase cigarettes or alcohol, and also limits the goods purchased with the card exclusively to Russian ones. This provides parallel support for Russian food producers. The government hopes that food cards in 2017 will give impetus to the development of these producers, as well as the development of domestic retail, which is also experiencing some decline in sales.
According to experts, approximately 20 million people in the country need such assistance, but it is far from certain that all of them will be able to receive food cards in 2017. As for the money budgeted for this type of assistance to needy citizens, 140 billion rubles are allocated for 2017, and 214 billion for 2018.
In world history there is at least one very successful example of the implementation of a food card system, this is the USA during the Great Depression. If a domestic innovation is similar to this experience and at least partially repeats the American success of a similar program, the idea can be considered extremely successful.
Don't let the name "food cards" scare you. No, we are not in a deep crisis, like during the war, but the fact of their implementation will help citizens who are classified as low-income. In this way, the state hopes to provide support to domestic producers and somewhat reduce the level of inflation.
A similar innovation is planned for next year, and its main goal will be to save our state from a social collapse. This article will discuss who is entitled to and how to obtain food cards for the poor in 2019.
How will food cards be implemented?
This government program, designed to provide actual assistance to low-income Russians, is provided in the form of targeted assistance, but not in the form of monetary support, but in the provision of essential goods. Its main goal will be to perform two important functions at once, one of which is to help those who are especially hard-pressed today, and the second is to provide support to domestic producers providing consumer goods.
In addition, in this way the state expects to lower the inflation threshold. This will become possible after the need for “real” money decreases. Based on the proposed program, low-income citizens living in the Russian Federation will receive special cards for use.
They will be executed in a similar way to bank cards, with monthly accruals in the form of points, that is, money in electronic form, with their help you can actually shop at a grocery store, as well as for purchasing essential goods, but only made in Russia.
A grocery card can actually be used to pay for the purchase of the following goods:
- dairy and fermented milk products;
- cereals and pasta;
- seasonal fruits and vegetables;
- meat and fish products;
- chicken eggs.
Points spent during a month will not be added up at the end, and at some point they will simply be reset to zero.
Who is entitled to it, how to get food cards
Food cards will be provided to low-income categories of citizens in the near future.
To receive them, you will need proof that your family really needs help from the state and that your monthly income is below the minimum subsistence level established in your region of residence.
For this purpose, some calculations should be made:
- all official income received by each family member is summed up for a three-month period (pensions, scholarships, salaries, etc. are taken into account);
- the resulting number is divided by three, thus obtaining the average family income per month;
- after this, the value is divided by the number of all members of a given family (both young children and pensioners are taken into account).
The number of citizens in need of such state support includes the following persons:
- people with the status of low-income citizens;
- families with three or more dependent children;
- mothers raising children alone;
- unemployed people officially registered at the labor exchange.
So far, the exact mechanism of the process of obtaining this type of assistance is not entirely clear. One thing is certain: food cards will be issued only after a person receives official confirmation of his low-income status. The documents that must be provided in this case include collected certificates confirming the level of income of a particular family. You also need a handwritten application. All this data should be provided to the authorities providing social protection of the population at the place of actual residence.
A food card is used in a similar way to a bank card, the only difference being that it will not be possible to withdraw funds from it.
It is planned that in 2018 food cards for the poor will finally come into use. Planning for the implementation of this idea has been under consideration since 2015, but now the Government is talking about such cards as a fait accompli.
Unfortunately, the main reason for the emergence of such a measure of state support was the unfavorable economic situation in the country. Part of the population of the Russian Federation is below the poverty line and needs additional funds that will be spent to meet the needs of such citizens.
According to 2016 statistics, food packages on cards may be needed by approximately 15 percent of the population of the Russian Federation. In 2018, such low-income citizens may be given the opportunity to purchase a minimum amount of products at the expense of the state.
The number of persons who will receive such government support measures includes citizens who have incomes below the subsistence level.
Grocery cards will be issued only to those categories of citizens who find themselves below the poverty line, and they have the opportunity to prove this. That is, parasites and freelancers who hide their income cannot count on receiving such a measure of government assistance.
Cards will be provided only to certain categories of citizens. To do this, the interested party needs to make a few simple calculations:
- Add up all the income that was received by all family members during the last 3 months. All benefits and scholarships must be taken into account.
- The resulting amount is divided by 3 to determine the average monthly earnings.
- The total amount must be divided by the total number of family members (children and pensioners are taken into account).
If the final number is below the subsistence level, then large families or pensioners with a minimum pension will be issued a food card.
The card will contain points that can be spent on purchasing a number of domestic essential goods.
How much will the coupons be issued?
To transfer funds, each low-income citizen will be provided with special social cards on which bonus points will be awarded.
According to preliminary calculations, within a year, 10,000 rubles will be transferred to each such card, which can be spent on food for low-income citizens.
Cash in the amount of 850 to 1200 rubles will be credited monthly. Moreover, after this period the money will be burned. That is, you cannot transfer points to the next month. It is believed that such a short deadline will encourage citizens to spend accrued funds on essential products, and not save them in order to later purchase something more expensive.
Moreover, at the legislative level, a program of food products is defined on which a low-income citizen can spend these points.
What products are available
The holder of a grocery card will not be able to purchase whatever he wants with the accrued points. According to the law, a low-income citizen will be able to spend money only on products from domestic producers, and only on things that the daily diet of an ordinary Russian cannot be imagined without.
Exact list of products, for the purchase of which food cards are intended, is still in development. But it is known that low-income citizens will be able to purchase free goods that make up their daily diet, which includes:
- Meat fish;
- Bakery products;
- Dairy products;
- Spices, sugar, salt;
- Vegetables fruits.
The composition of this list may change. In particular, in the near future it is planned to add pet food and hygiene products to products intended for pensioners and other low-income categories of citizens.
Such certificates will not apply to the purchase of alcohol and cigarettes. The Government says that they do not intend to support the habits that Russians have.
Moreover, the program provides that low-income citizens will not be able to purchase surplus products with these points. For example, a person will not be able to buy sweets for his child with these funds; he will have to pay for them out of his own pocket.
Purchasing goods will only be possible in stores that cooperate with such a social program. It is planned that by the second half of 2018, citizens will have the opportunity to pay for visits to social canteens using such points.
How to apply for food stamps
Since the start of the program to support low-income citizens has not yet occurred, the exact procedure for obtaining a food card in 2018 is still unknown. It is planned that the procedure for issuing such a food certificate for Russians will come into force only at the end of 2017 - beginning of 2018, as soon as the bill goes through the latest changes and is finally put into force.
It is clear that a food card can be issued only after a citizen in need can submit documents confirming the possibility of receiving such a measure of state support.
The main document in this list is certificates confirming low income levels, confirming that family members really do not have enough money to achieve the minimum subsistence level.
The documents will be accepted by the social protection authorities, so the interested citizen will need to contact the government agency located at the applicant’s place of residence.
The exact date when food cards will be introduced is still unknown. It is planned that low-income citizens and pensioners can obtain cards and start using this program at the end of 2017 or at the beginning of 2018. Therefore, experts advise closely monitoring the news.
Grocery cards for the poor will come into use in 2018 – you can be 99% sure of this. The idea of their distribution was proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for implementation back in the year, but now the head of the ministry D. Manturov speaks of the appearance of food cards as a fait accompli. The government was prompted to introduce such a social program for low-income citizens by the unfavorable economic situation in the country.
Who is eligible to claim the benefit?
The statistics collected by the Ministry of Social Protection in 2018 are terrifying: 22 million people (!) are below the poverty line in Russia, out of a total population of 147 million people! At the same time, the Ministry of Social Protection clarifies that it counted only those people who submitted the appropriate documents, recognizing themselves as low-income - in fact, the figure may turn out to be much more impressive. 15% of the Russian population (every seventh) count the coins in their wallet, trying to scrape together enough for a loaf of bread.
It is for low-income citizens that Russia is introducing food cards. Those who will be able to receive a food card include people with a monthly income not exceeding the subsistence level. The cost of living varies depending on the region - for example, in Moscow it is 15,307 rubles.
Important clarification: The Ministry of Industry and Trade is going to issue food cards only to those citizens who find themselves below the poverty line due to external circumstances and can prove it. The state will definitely not support parasites who are able to work but do not want to. Russians who hide their real income and only pretend to be poor - freelancers, entrepreneurs, owners of subsidiary plots - should also not count on help.
How can a citizen understand whether he can take part in the food card program? To do this, he needs to make some simple calculations.
Add up all the income his family received over the last 3 months. Benefits, subsidies, scholarships also need to be taken into account.
Divide the resulting amount by 3 to derive the arithmetic mean.
Divide the result by the number of family members (including children and pensioners).
If the final value is below the subsistence level, you can safely apply for a food card for the poor in 2018.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has not yet specified what documents are needed to obtain a food card. It is known that control over the distribution of cards will be the responsibility of social security authorities - a low-income citizen should not have a question about where to get a food card, because he is probably familiar with the address of the local social security department. To apply for benefits, you will not only have to bring the required papers, but also undergo an interview - a kind of lice test. Anyone who receives a food card in Russia will be required to make every effort to find a job (if there is none) in order to avoid the spread of parasitism.
It is expected that the list of citizens entitled to benefits will be reviewed every 6 months. A low-income citizen will have to bring documents confirming his preferential status to social security every six months.
What can you buy?
The holder of a food card, alas, will not be able to purchase with its help any products that catch his eye - he will only have access to those things without which a Russian’s daily diet is impossible to imagine. The Ministry of Industry and Trade promises to present an exact list of available products very soon - it is now known for certain that it will include:
Salt, sugar, spices.
Vegetables, fruits, dried fruits.
In addition, social products include pet food, hygiene products (soap, washing powder, etc.), seeds and seedlings.
The benefit will not apply to alcohol and cigarettes. The Ministry of Industry and Trade categorically states that it is not going to support the bad habits of Russians.
Card holders will also not be able to spend preferential funds on surplus products - say, candy. A low-income citizen who wants to please his child with sweets will have to spend his own money on it. The most controversial position so far is medicines - the Ministry of Industry and Trade has not decided whether they should be included in the list of social products.
Those Russians who will be issued food cards should pay attention to one more limitation: only Russian products will be able to be paid for with preferential funds. Due to this restriction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will try to catch up with the second hare - namely, to support domestic producers and give them an advantage in competition with importers.
Point payment system - what is it?
Food certificates will be issued in the Mir payment system. The state will not transfer rubles to the cards at all, but bonus points - monthly in an amount equivalent to 1,200 or 1,400 rubles. The holder of a food certificate will have to put up with a number of restrictions.
Points cannot be accumulated. If a low-income citizen does not spend all the bonus rubles by the end of the month, the rest of the amount will be burned.
Points cannot be cashed out. You can pay with bonus rubles only in stores participating in the state program. It is expected that from 2018 the cards will be accepted in some canteens and cafes.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade clarifies that cardholders will be able to deposit personal funds into bonus accounts. Why should low-income citizens top up food cards with their own money? If only for the following reason: the state promises that a citizen will be able to receive from 30% to 50% of the top-up amount monthly - this is a pretty solid profit. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, apparently, has not yet decided what will happen to personal funds at the end of the month and whether they will burn out along with the bonus rubles.
Experience of the USSR and foreign countries
Distributing cards to the poor is not at all an innovative solution for a crisis economy. We can say that food cards are returning to Russia - a similar system was already in effect in the USSR.
Grocery cards in the USSR appeared along with the USSR itself - in 1917. The coupon payment system was introduced periodically, but this was not at all connected with the widespread poverty of Russians (as it is now), but with constant supply crises. Many of the products in the Soviet Union were considered scarce - they could only be obtained with a special coupon and only in limited quantities (to avoid speculation). The coupon system in the USSR reached its peak in the period 1988 - 1991, when citizens could not purchase either sugar or sunflower oil. Since 1992, food certificates began to disappear due to the spread of free trade.
But the coupon system is by no means a relic of the past. Nowadays, the practice of providing food certificates to low-income citizens is used all over the world, including in developed countries.
In the United States, low-income citizens have been paying for food stamps for 50 years, receiving about $115 per person each month. The Americans consider this system fair and are not going to abandon it.
In Great Britain, the coupon system was introduced after the Second World War due to food shortages. The program was resumed in 2014.
In Cuba, food cards have been issued to the poor for over 50 years, but now the coupon system on Liberty Island is on its last legs. It is interesting that cigarettes were excluded from the list of preferential goods in Cuba only in 2018.
Food certificates were also introduced in modern Russia – at the regional level. For example, in 2013, 3 thousand food cards were issued for large families in the Kirov region.
Both market experts and ordinary citizens for the most part have a positive attitude towards the idea of reviving the system of food cards in Russia for pensioners and other citizens in need of financial support. This was confirmed by a survey organized by VTsIOM: almost 80% of respondents were in favor. But if the idea of introducing an analogue of the coupon system into the economy is so good, no matter how you look at it, why is the Ministry of Industry and Trade delaying its implementation? The answer to this question is simple: the state cannot yet find enough money to bring the idea to life. According to preliminary estimates, almost 70 billion rubles will be needed - finding such an amount in a country with a crisis economy, alas, is extremely problematic.
In 2017, the Russian government launched a food program, and this section of the site will inform readers about how food cards work and news related to the implementation of the state program.
To be fair, we note that food support for the population and food cards are measures that the Russian authorities have resorted to not for the first time. Suffice it to recall bread cards during the First World War, metered distribution of products in 1941-1947. or food stamps during the famine of perestroika.
During the collapse of the USSR, coupons were issued for almost all products (sugar, cereals, vegetable oil, tea, etc.) and household chemicals (soap, washing powder). The total shortage gave rise to a numerous number of memes - this is what today would be called the bundles of toilet paper rolls that adorned the necks of Russians, or the empty store windows on which the “Miracle Fasting” brochure was reverently laid out.
The card system operates not only in Russia. For example, the American food discount program, launched during the Great Depression, remains relevant today. A personal voucher in the form of a plastic card is replenished monthly from the federal budget by a certain amount (on average, an American can count on $115 in government assistance per month). The demand for free products especially increases in the United States during times of crisis. Thus, in 2012, the number of people wishing to receive cards with points increased to a record 46.7 million people.
Who can receive food cards - news from Russian regions? How to become a participant in the 2017 food program? Is government support effective? We will answer these and many other questions and monitor how the federal food support program for Russians is being implemented locally.
There are no plans to introduce food cards for the poor in 2019, despite repeated proposals to stimulate consumer demand with food stamps and support the poor. This was announced by Arkady Ponomarev, a member of the Duma Committee on Agrarian Issues, at Agroholdings of Russia-2018. Who is eligible to claim the benefit? The launch of the food subsidy program was planned first in 2018 and then in 2019. Several years ago, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed creating a supplementary nutrition system in Russia for the low-income population. It was proposed that special bank cards of citizens of this category be credited with funds that could be spent on certain domestic products - fresh, perishable. According to Ponomarev, the implementation of this proposal will stimulate...
The government launched a new program to support low-income groups of the population and determined who will receive food cards in Russia, which financial institution will provide them and what products can be purchased with social “plastic”. Features and purpose of the social program Discussions about the launch of a food program have been ongoing since 2015. Thus, in the Kirov region and Ulyanovsk, a pilot project was launched, within the framework of which a food card was issued for the poor and local media explained how to obtain it. According to the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the launch of the program throughout the country has two goals: to support citizens living below the poverty line; stimulate sales of local producers and farmers. For reference! Expected economic growth...
