Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's Cabinet has approved an increase in monthly child disability benefits by 1,596 rubles ($53), his press office said, RIA-Novosti reported.
The bill, drafted by the Labor Ministry, proposes to "set benefits for handicapped children and children disabled since childhood at up to 8,700 rubles per month starting from Jan. 1, 2013," it said.
The 20 percent increase would help improve the financial situation of more than 764 thousand families who have handicapped children, the press service said.
The government said it would need an additional 15.32 billion rubles of federal funds in 2013, 17.96 billion rubles in 2014 and 20.02 billion in 2015.
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