Prime Minister Putin chairs a meeting of the Government Commission on the Development of Information Technologies in the Russian Regions in Ufa
Vladimir Putin's opening remarks:
Good afternoon,
The topic of our meeting today is the introduction of information technologies in providing regional and municipal government services.
As you know, we are energetically pursuing the Electronic Government project. Clearly, success depends on the coordinated efforts at all levels of government. This is the only way we can build an integrated system that measures up to the requirements of the modern economy and society and meets the expectations of our citizens.
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. The use of these technologies makes it possible to speed up and simplify some procedures and decisions immensely, make budget spending more effective, curb corruption and make government more effective and transparent.
Let me note that the use of information technologies, if properly handled, dramatically changes the quality of government services, making them more easy-to-use and accessible. Let me cite just a few statistics: Every year Russian citizens file 360 million applications for various services. This means that every adult citizen in the Russian Federation seeks a service from government bodies three or four times a year and experiences all the pleasures of dealing with our official bodies.
People have to apply for the same documents and the same certificates and file the same applications time and time again in order to exercise their right to receive social support, whether that be drugs or accommodation at sanatoria and holiday resorts, as well as to receive public transport fares or pay their utility bills.
We should free people from the need to go to through the torment of visiting government offices to stand in queues to get basic papers from the Technical Inventory Bureau, the social welfare agencies, the housing-maintenance directorates, passport offices and the reception desks at clinics.
Therefore, 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.
Among other things, 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.
Today we have seen the practical uses of these cards in healthcare, public transit and the provision of medicines. Today I saw how the system works at a clinic, and I must say that it is truly effective. I am sure that the people who use this service are grateful to the Republic's leadership for introducing these technologies.
Next. These new technologies make social assistance more effective and better targeted. And just as importantly, there are greater returns on budget expenditures.
I think we should settle all the legal and organisational issues connected with the introduction of electronic cards as soon as possible.
Now a few words about something I consider to be very important. At present regional and departmental information systems are developing in isolation from each other. Hence there are problems of compatibility and a lack of regular circulation of documents between departments and regions. We should overcome this isolation; it is very harmful and dangerous. Unless we overcome this isolation, people will face new problems with these electronic services. It will not be quite the same as today, but there will be more than enough problems.
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.
If the proliferation of special departmental cards or something similar continues, and cards are valid only within a single municipality, we will create problems for people at a whole new level.
In December 2009 the Government approved the official list of the main services that the regions and municipalities should begin to provide electronically.
I ask the heads of the regions to take over these issues personally. Practice shows that the biggest advances are made where the heads of regions come to grips with the problem and understand its importance.
The necessary plans must be put together as quickly as possible, the legal framework should be revised to eliminate the regulations that impede the introduction of electronic services.
Let me be clear: we will closely follow the state of affairs in this field in every region. The transition to the new format of services will be considered a key criterion for the performance of regional and municipal authorities.
If the regional authorities do not pay due attention to this problem, we will assume that they are ignoring the quality of services, do not want to cut down on red tape and do not care about the welfare of the people who live in their regions. And conversely, we should and will encourage initiative.
I ask you to study the issue of additional financial support for those regions of the Russian Federation that achieve the greatest success in introducing new information technologies.
Besides, successful experiences should be widely disseminated, which is why we plan to create a library or database of the best regional practices for this purpose. All the regions will be able to use the best, time-tested and workable models free of charge.
Finally, as you know, a government commission has been set up to coordinate our efforts. It will deal with the whole range of issues connected with introducing information technologies in government and municipal executive bodies. As you know, Sergei Sobyanin heads this commission.
In conclusion, I would like to say the following: our society is living through an information boom. The government, of course, cannot and will not remain on the sidelines during this transition.
The need for new services is great and constantly growing. I will cite just one example: when the Integrated Portal of Government Services was launched, it was visited by over a million people (in just several hours!). People know how and are willing to use these services. If we move in the right direction, the number of users will increase dramatically. So once again I ask you to get ready for serious and substantive work.
Let us begin the discussion.
