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Poverty Stays High as Inflation Rises
Rosstat published official annual data yesterday on the population having incomes lower than the cost of living. In 2007, the state statistics service recorded 18.9 million people living in poverty, or 13.4 percent of the population. In 2006, that number was 21.5 million (15.2%), and in 2005 25.2 million (17.7%). Rosstat said that, in the fourth quarter of 2007, monetary income was 15,605 rubles and the cost of living 4005 rubles. The consumer basket cost 3741 rubles, of which 1643 rubles was for food. The agency calculates that the cost of living rose 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter over the third. The cost of food in the consumer basket rose 5.7 percent, goods rose 3.4 percent and services 0.5 percent.
Sharp rises in inflation usually affect groups with low incomes. A comparison of the cost of living with the minimal food basket is indicative. In the first quarter, the cost of living was 2.4 times higher than the consumer basket. As inflation increased, that difference decreased.
The level of poverty differs greatly by region. In Moscow, the cost of living in the first quarter of this year was 6441 rubles, up from 5855 rubles in the fourth quarter of 2007. In the suburbs of Moscow, it was 4934 rubles in the first quarter of this year, up from 4467 rubles the previous quarter. The government of Moscow Regions says that 10.5 percent of the residents of the Moscow suburbs have incomes below the poverty level. Kommersant calculates that the proportion of impoverished in Moscow is much higher – 23 percent. Even though that level has shown a tendency to fall, it is still extraordinarily high. Experts estimate the level of poverty much higher than Rosstat – at 20-22 percent. They are concerned that the ceaselessly rising inflation rate will lead to increased poverty.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 20, 2008
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