OREANDA-NEWS. December 16, 2008. Total funds in the Presidential Reserve Fund for 2008 were set at 700 million roubles (more than USD 25 million).

Most of these funds (83%) were used to provide assistance to children’s institutions.

Over the course of 2008, 408 children’s institutions received support from the Presidential Fund, including 371 institutions for disabled children.

The Fund’s spending priority was to help provide social support for children and adolescents with health limitations (61% of the funds).

A total of 200 million roubles (USD 7.2 million) was spent on buying special equipment for 253 educational establishments for disabled children. Another 80.01 million roubles (around USD 3 million) were allocated to 106 rehabilitation centres for children and adolescents with health limitations for the purchase of equipment for internet classrooms and motor vehicles.  

Furthermore, 25.98 million roubles (around USD 1 million) were spent on repair and restoration work to preserve historic and cultural monuments.