Auditor of the Accounts Chamber Danil Shilkov noted that with the total funding

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At a meeting of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, IT and Communications devoted to the discussion of draft law No. 448554-8 "On the federal budget for 2024 and for the planning period of 2025 and 2026", Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev reported on November 10 that, as part of the amendments to the second reading, the government proposed the following changes to the federal budget plan: "The government has increased the budget for the provision of universal communication services (UCS) - these funds are needed to continue the luxembourg whatsapp number database program of connecting small settlements with a population of 100 to 500 people, connecting to the Internet and creating LTE infrastructure in them. For these purposes, in 2024, as part of the amendments to the second reading, an additional 7.6 billion rubles have been allocated, the total funding will amount to 13.4 billion rubles."

volume of the UUS at 13.4 billion rubles, a deficit of 2.8 billion rubles remains.

The press service of the Ministry of Digital Development told a ComNews correspondent: "The government is allocating the said funds - 13.4 billion rubles - from the universal service reserve (or UUS fund - ComNews note ), to which all telecom operators send contributions."

In accordance with Article 60 of the Federal Law of 07.07.2003 No. 126-FZ "On Communications", operators are required to deduct 1.2% of their income for services in the public communication network. According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 21.04.2005 No. 243 (as amended on 17.04.2021) "On approval of the rules for the formation and expenditure of funds of the universal service reserve", reserve expenses for the next financial year and planning period are provided for within the amount of revenue from mandatory deductions planned for the next financial year and planning period; reserve funds are spent to provide financial support for the provision of universal communication services, as well as to finance the creation and operation of a database of transferred subscriber numbers.

Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, deputy Alexander Khinshtein noted that the draft budget for the first reading proposed a budget of 5.8 billion rubles for the tasks of the UCN 2.0, however, as the head of PJSC Rostelecom, responsible for the implementation of the program to eliminate digital inequality (UCN), explained, this amount would not allow for the construction of new facilities and the continuation of the program - it would only be enough to maintain the existing infrastructure. Therefore, according to Alexander Khinshtein, the State Duma Committee on Information Policy indicated in its conclusion that the total funding for the UCN 2.0 should be increased to 15.5 billion rubles.

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