“There are a number of tools that the government and private businesses in Russia can use to foster the development of science and innovation. I’m referring to government programmes, targeted research and development funds (which are companies in which the government is a stakeholder), and private investment and venture funds. It is important for these state-run funds to find where in this science and innovation support system they are most needed and where there are no alternatives to them.”
“As our priority we have chosen economic modernisation and high technology. Now GLONASS is high technology in the direct and indirect sense of the word, a technology essential for the country's modernisation. We have already spent 60 billion roubles on this project. Its spending peak is past, because the basic satellite constellation is in place. Very soon, we will make it complete, total and global.”
“Innovation products account for a mere 5% of Russia's economy, and less than 10% of Russian companies introduce technological innovations. There are many reasons for that. In the past we had practically no economic incentives to introduce innovations. There was no healthy competitive environment in place, which would prod companies to renewal. The national innovation infrastructure is meagre. The shortage of long-term financing available was also a discouraging factor. The number of innovation companies should certainly grow. Even a small result which would help strengthen Russia's foothold in markets for innovation products and services would justify the effort.”
"Further development of the global navigational system will remain one of our top priorities. First, the development of GLONASS is creating serious demand for new technology and modern intellectual products. Second, it is fundamentally changing the practice of economic management, improving efficiency in transport, agriculture and even housing and utilities, and providing a wide range of popular services to the public. The system is becoming increasingly important in the sphere of security. Experts understand perfectly well that the development of precision weapons is impossible without a global positioning system. Its even helps the Ministry of the Interior significantly increase its hot pursuit crime detection rate."
“We have a powerful instrument of state purchases, but it is being used inefficiently and does not encourage suppliers to promote innovative business. That is very regrettable. I believe that the innovative element must be made an obligatory part of the acquisitions programmes. Potential suppliers and business must see that the government intends to buy only modern products, and that access to state orders will be granted above all to those who promote innovation.”
“In 2010, we allocated some 1.1 trillion roubles, or over 10% of the federal budget, for fundamental and applied research, higher education, high-tech medical services, and federal programmes in aviation, space and nuclear energy (Rosatom). As you know, these are very substantial allocations.”
“We must continue creating institutional and other conditions for successful introduction of high technologies. We must remove more administrative barriers hampering innovative businesses, and continue modernising the state-sponsored segment of science.”
“Another issue concerns the promotion of Russian innovative products and encouraging the demand for them on the domestic and external markets. New knowledge and technology must not remain unused gathering dust. We know very well that such capital becomes depreciated and obsolete very fast. To prevent this and to give the country an opportunity to benefit from new knowledge, we must create a comprehensive market of intellectual property. Also, we need to create, almost from scratch, mechanisms for the circulation of research and technical information, for making it maximally open and accessible for potential partners, investors and consumers.”
“We must create a database of R&D projects carried out under contracts with the federal executive authorities. It goes without saying that such a database must be absolutely open and accessible.”
“The government has announced its policy choice in favour of sustainable development based on innovation and modern technology. Important steps have been made to build a system of institutions and instruments for innovation and modernisation. But it should be recognised that very few projects are truly innovative. What we see ahead is monumental and demanding work involving tangible progress rather than slogans and appeals.”
“We began developing analogous systems at practically the same time [GLONASS]. To the best of my knowledge, they currently have two satellites in orbit, while we have already deployed 21 satellites, which is enough to cover the entire Russian Federation. And we should launch another six satellites in 2010. Consequently, our system will become truly global. However, in order for our system to be effective, it must be cost-effective. We must actively introduce the vehicular components - on land, air and sea vehicles and on trains - of the system.”
“I want regions and municipal entities to hear you and me, so that the leaders of these entities realise that the introduction of this system is a nationwide objective that effectively can only be accomplished with their support. Municipal vehicles, medical vehicles, police vehicles and vehicles owned by the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief will all be equipped with GLONASS receivers.”
“In the coming years we should establish a system for providing government and municipal services electronically. We are talking about information service portals and integrated communications channels, as well as departmental and regional databases. Every citizen in every region or municipality should have access to these new services and be able to avail himself or herself of its potential and advantages.”
“Each Russian citizen must have his or her personal electronic key for modern high-tech services. At present we have the Social Welfare Card for this. Many entities of the Federation already have successfully introduced these cards, including your republic, Bashkortostan. More than 150,000 such cards have been issued in the republic. <…> Make a note of this: the card must be universal and provide access to the whole range of government electronic services. It should be accepted in all the agencies, preferably throughout the entire country.”
“Information technologies have long ceased to be something abstract and mysterious. People prefer using electronic services because it spares them a great ordeal. Information technologies have long ceased to be something that people do not understand and become a real factor that contributes to our nation's competitiveness.”
"Under this programme [federal targeted programme on nuclear energy technology] we must create a new generation of technology to build more efficient and eco-friendly nuclear power plants. I am referring to closed-cycle technology. This provides for the rational use of natural uranium and reduces nuclear waste, which means there is less to process and dispose of".
"In addition to public companies and large corporations with government participation, small and medium-sized companies should pursue geological prospecting for mineral resources and extraction. These companies can play a major role in this work. However, to make this work economically effective, it is necessary to lower the expenses for these companies in these activities. We have noted more than once that these expenses are primarily related to excessive administrative barriers. The efforts to reduce these costs could be very effective in terms of small companies that process gravel, clay and sand used locally, in construction. <…> One of the first proposals in this context is to cancel the fees for receiving information from the State Fund of Mineral Resources. This would make the information more accessible to business and would reduce the expenses of those companies, which are currently exploring them or are planning to do so".
"We are also going to discuss amendments to the law On Natural Resources. In the last few years we have overcome the negative trend of reduced geological prospecting and now we are increasing the number of known reserves in all basic minerals. In the mid-1990s we used to say with good reason that we are using what we had prospected before. We now have a completely different approach. According to the latest reports, positive results were obtained last year. We produced 582 billion cubic meters of gas and found 650 billion. The same applies to uranium and iron ore and other metals".
“The centralised website of government and municipal services was launched on December 15. It contains information about major services whose list was endorsed by the government, as well as a number of other services for individuals and companies. It is necessary to continue implementing our plan to switch to the provision of electronic services in the near future. Each department has a rigid schedule which should be observed without fail.”
“I have endorsed a list of products which should be bought for federal needs exclusively at electronic tenders. The list includes 23 items: food products, printing materials, office furniture, cars, and others. This is an anti-corruption measure because the use of the Internet excludes personal contacts between government officials and the suppliers of goods when an order is placed. Moreover, such auctions save considerable budget funds, as the practice bears out.”