The state Duma adopted the presidential amendments on the support of NGOs
The state Duma adopted in the second and third readings a bill on measures to support the bodies of state power and local self-government for socially oriented nonprofit organizations (NPOs) implementing the public utility services.
The amendments are necessary to ensure that the new status of public organizations as implementers of public utility services from 1 January 2017 to be fully functional, said the state Duma Deputy Olga batalina (“United Russia”). Commenting on the bill, she recalled that the task of development of socially oriented NGOs was raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the annual Message.
The support of such NGOs will have to be for minimum period of two years. It involves including the provision of free air time, free print space, placement of information materials of socially-oriented NGOs on the Internet.
In addition, at the request of the authorities should help NGOs in the training of employees and volunteers (talking about additional professional education).
MPs believe that the amendments will allow NCOs to focus on their activities and not to engage in annual funds for its work.
Earlier, the President approved a list of priority activities of socially-oriented NGOs. It includes, in particular, services for the provision of social assistance to the elderly, children, the disabled and people in difficult life situations, families with children with disabilities and much more.
According to the Ministry, in Russia, now operates more than 140 thousand socially oriented NGOs, which employs about 900 thousand people.