In Russia, children from large families have lost their free meals due to a lack of funds
As of September 1, at least seven municipalities in the Ulyanovsk Region of the Russian Federation have stopped providing free meals to schoolchildren from large families.
The decision affected the Novospassky, Mainsky, Sengileevsky, Staromainsky, Karsunsky, Veshkaimsky, and Inzensky districts. Local authorities attributed these measures to a lack of funds, noting that this benefit is merely a recommended—rather than mandatory—form of social support.
The financial situation in the region remains difficult: by the end of 2025, the regional budget deficit exceeded 3.4 billion rubles, and in 2026, after several adjustments, it rose to 2 billion rubles. In the Novospassky District, free meals were retained only for children with disabilities and children of participants in the war against Ukraine. At the same time, in the Melekesky District, the benefit was canceled for families with incomes below the subsistence minimum and families in difficult life circumstances, on the grounds that the average income of such families is sometimes substantial.
Source: “Ulpressa.”
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