More than Br6.5 billion was allocated in 2008 in the Vitebsk region for free nutrition for children under two years of age

May 14, Vitebsk / Sergei Kochetov - BELTA /. More than Br6.5 billion was spent in the Vitebsk region in 2008 on the free provision of food products to children under two years of age, the committee for labor, employment and social protection of the regional executive committee informed a BELTA correspondent. This type of state social support covered families raising almost 8.5 thousand children, which amounted to more than 40% of the total number of children under two years of age. In total, in 2008, families raising almost 55 thousand children received state benefits, including about 22 thousand families with children aged from 3 to 16 (18) years. State targeted social assistance, which is effectively implemented in the region, occupies an important place in the social protection system. In 2008, more than 40 thousand people received such assistance totaling Br7 billion, with families raising children being the main recipients of targeted social assistance (more than 70%). As of April 1, over 5.7 thousand large families and 18.5 thousand single-parent families were registered with the territorial social security centers of the region. In the Vitebsk region, more than 460 women who have given birth to and raised five or more children have been awarded the Order of Motherhood. -0-