D.Medvedev chairs the session of Presidium of the State Council
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On July 17 in Petrozavodsk President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev held the session of presidium of the State Council of the Russian Federation devoted to implementation of the Strategy of information society development in the Russian Federation.
The current Presidium of the State Council includes heads of Tula, Vologda, Novosibirsk, Tyumen areas, the Chechen republic, Kamchatka and Perm territories. Heads of Karelia, Mordovia and Governor of Tver area have also taken part in the session.
Vice-president of the Government of Russia Sergey Ivanov, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Elvira Nabiullina, Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Igor Schegolev, Minister of Education and Science of the RF Andrey Fursenko, Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwest Federal district Ilya Klebanov and others participated in work of the Presidium of the State Council. Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia Nikolay Levin, as well as he Rector of Petrozavodsk State University Anatoly Voronin whom the President of Russia has personally invited to participate in the session after visiting Petrozavodsk State University where active work on introduction of information technologies is conducted were also invited to attend the session.
Head of Karelia at the Presiium of the State Council in Petrozavodsk
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Key reports at the session of Presidium of the State Council were made by the head of the working group of the State Council of the Russian Federation, governor of the Tyumen area Vladimir Yakushev and Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Igor Schegolev. As it has been noted in reports, as a result of dynamical development of economy of Russia in recent years there appeared favorable economic preconditions for information society development. The need of production and services in the field of information and communication technologies grows, information competence of the population increases, which is proclaimed by increase in the share of adult population among Internet users from 8% in 2002 to 26% in 2007. Infrastructure for new technologies develops fast: cellular telecommunication has been evolving (in the end of 2007 in our country there were already 119 subscribers per 100 people of the population, that exceeds the average value in Europe essentially). Every day the number of Internet users grows, and a number of personal computers per 100 household in 2000-2007 has increased from 6 to 33. realization of scale target programs in the field of development of microelectronics and nanotechnologies has begun in the country, there has been approved and is being implemented the corresponding government program, support of small innovative companies is carried out by the Russian investment fund of information of communication technologies. Significant work has been completed in recent years on formation of the normative legal base in the country promoting development of information society, directed on creation of the e-government and development of regional informatization.
D. Medvedev and S. Ivanov
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According to the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, the country stakes on development of information technologies. "It is known, that in information societies the information is also a subject of mass consumption, and a powerful economic resource," - he has noted, - "and, the information sector of economy frequently grows much quicker than many other of branches. Development of ICT directly influences growth of science and technologies, efficiency of governance, and even political system - access to resources and development of democracy," - Dmitry Medvedev has emphasized. Among Russia's achievements in this branch, the President has reminded, there is the third place in the world on volumes of orders for software development. Demand for equipment and services of the market of telecommunications grows steadily, and business and public sector began wider and more substantially use information and communication technologies.
However, as the President of the Russian Federation considers, despite of essential success in development of ICT, in this sphere there still reman many barriers. The e-Government is at the very start of its development, - he has told. - Yet, citizens of the country cannot conclude contracts through the Internet, submit tax returns, obtain information concerning a question sent to the authorities. Electronic document circulation between authorities is also undeveloped. This sphere should become a reality in 2010.» In the opinion of the President of the Russian Federation, general low level of computer competence of state employees leaves much to be desired. In Russia should remain no officials not able to work with a computer, - Dmitry Medvedev considers. Except for it, serious 'information inequality' in opportunities between citizens who live in large cities and small settlements is observed as well. "We should overcome it within the framework of development of the Strategy of information society development in Russia, - the President has told. - Computerization of Russian schools is the first step in this direction. I hope, that regional programs of informatization will play key roles in overcoming digital gap." "During our stay in Karelia we have seen a number of rather good examples related to action of the e-Government. However, it is just a beginning,» - Dmitry Medvedev has told.
D. Medvedev, S. Ivanov, E. Nabiullina and S.Katanandov
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At the session of presidium of the State Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev has suggested to create a Council attached to the President of Russia on development of information society in the country, and has also supported prompt acceptance of the plan of realization of the Strategy of information society development.
It is no coincidence that Karelia has been chosen to host the session of presidium of the State Council. From year to year information and communication technologies have been becoming more powerful tool for the solution of social and economic problems and improvement of quality of life of people. During the visit of the President of Russia to Petrozavodsk he was shown the most different spheres of practical application of these technologies from the government and economy to education and culture. Therefore, during the session the floor was also given to the Head of Karelia.
As Sergey Katanandov has noted, it has been long ago when specific services in the field of IT started to develop in Karelia. Today the republic is at the second phase of the planned several years ago way of development. Karelia became one of the first regions of Russia where owing to international cooperation there appeared access to the Internet. For many people e-mail here is already a natural mode of communication, and in the Internet-space in Karelia it is both possible to receive official information on activity of executive and legislature bodies, local self-management, its industrial, tourist and investment potential or daily news about life of the republic, and also to communicate with the authority on-line. Today any citizen of the republic has an opportunity to ask his question to the state from his home or one of more than 70 thousand points of access to the Internet, and receive a duly and competent answer. By means of modern computer technologies it is possible to operate budgetary processes, hold competitions on delivery of the goods, performance of works or granting of services for the state needs, participate in electronic tenders and auctions in real-time mode, receive information on the ground plots for realization of investment projects, price level regarding the basic goods and fuel, costs of products exported from the republic. However, there is a lot of work ahead.
«We should provide an opportunity to every person to use services offered by the state in full, - not only receive some information or read a newspaper, but conclude a contract, receive grants, etc., - Sergey Katanandov has told. - We have started approbation of such ideas on an example of the resource of the Ministry of Natural Resources where we are creating an opportunity to conclude a rent contract, purchase land or premises without leaving home or office. I am convinced, that such work will lead to more serious results in this area.» Speaking of existing problems, Sergey Katanandov has mentioned that each region of the country solves its informatization problems independently and there ois real need in a uniform coordinating body for this purpose. In Karelia, for example, such work is coordinated by the Council on Informatization attached to the Head of the Republic which comprises heads of enforcement authorities, scientists of Karelian Research Centre of the Russian academy of sciences, Petrozavodsk State University and other organizations.
In her statement the Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Elvira Nabiullina has supported the Head of Karelia. In her opinion, it is important both to develop new services, such as registration of real estate and enterprise activity, registration of transport, payment of penalties and customs registration of goods, and to coordinate all existing information resources in a uniform nation-wide system.
Having listened to opinions of all participants of the session, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev has summed up the discussion. «If one takes a look at bureaus and public offices in administrations, at courts, - and today we have visited a court in Karelia, - at other social institutions and schools, - he has told, - it is obvious, that a step forward has been made. On the other hand, there are still many other problems.»
The President has paid special attention to necessity of creating administrative rules to adjust electronic circulation of documents at the federal level. Dmitry Medvedev has charged the Government of Russia to complete this task by November 1. He has declared necessity to organize mainly electronic document circulation by 2010. Besides, as a whole, electronic government services should be widely accessible to people, it would be logical, in his opinion, to unify sites of state institutions on the Internet.
Besides, he has called to accept «national availability standards» in such spheres, as education and medicine. «Today it is necessary to develop and accept similar standards for all key spheres, including, a package of television and broadcasting services, as well as information-technological equipment for institutions of medicine, education, culture, housing and communal services,» - head of the state emphasized. Dmitry Medvedev has also approved the offered at the session idea of creatiing a uniform social card of a citizen which one could use in territory of any region of the country. He has supported he idea of creating electronic class-books and record books at schools which could exist simultaneously with their paper analogs, accustoming teachers and their students to modern document circulation
D.Medvedev talks to citizens of Petrozavodsk
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President of the Russian Federation has also noted importance of perfection of communication infrastructure. As he said, development of an orbital network of civil communication and boardcasting satellites, conversion of the radio-frequency spectrum, as well as modernization of infrastructure of the federal mail service should be provided. Besides, Dmitry Medvedev has declared necessity to strengthen work of law enforcement bodies in the sphere of information technologies, having provided secure operating mode and unconditional preservation of the state, commercial and personal secret to all users without exception.
During presidium of the State Council at the building of the Government of Karelia where the session passed, there gathered many citizens of Petrozavodsk. Despite of rainy weather, people wished to greet the President of Russia personally. Having finished the session, Dmitry Medvedev has justified their expectations and came out to talk to the townspeople. People sincerely wished health and success to the President. Head of the state, in turn, has thanked citizens of Karelia for their support and kind reception.
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