Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Elena I. Andreeva
Author-Email: andreeva@nifi.ru
Author-Workplace-Name: Financial Research Institute, Moscow 127006, Russia
Author-Name: Dmitry G. Bychkov
Author-Email: bychkov@nifi.ru
Author-Workplace-Name: Financial Research Institute, Moscow 127006, Russia
Author-Name: Olesya A. Feoktistova
Author-Email: feoktistova@nifi.ru
Author-Workplace-Name: Financial Research Institute, Moscow 127006, Russia
Title: Regional Approaches to Optimization of Sub-federal Systems of Social Support Benefits in Russia
Abstract: In 2016 the authors took stock of social support benefits organized by Russian regional authorities. The purpose was to come up with recommendations that would help regional governments achieve better targeting and avoid inefficiencies and duplication in their social support policies. The analysis has shown that many regional governments in Russia have already started reforming their systems of social benefits. Some have initiated the reforms because they saw the inefficiencies of the current system, some are forced to optimize their spending by federal financial authorities, who audit the efficiency of public spending by sub-federal governments and require poorly performing governors to adopt and to implement regional finance revitalization programs. The case-studies presented in the paper suggest practical tools and approaches that can be useful for optimizing social support benefits and refining the definitions of target groups by regional policymakers in Russia.
Classification-JEL: I38, I39, H53, H75
Keywords: social support, social benefits, the targeting principle, criteria of necessity, categories of privilege-bearers, optimization of social support
Journal: Finansovyj žhurnal — Financial Journal
Pages: 25-36
Issue: 5
Year: 2016
Month: October
File-URL: http://www.nifi.ru/images/FILES/Journal/Archive/2016/5/statii/5_03.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:fru:finjrn:160503:p:25-36