IT and Society: In 2011 Russia launches 10-year program “Information society”

The Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a regulation on approval of the “Information Society” program for 2011-2020. Under this document the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media jointly with the Ministry of Finance are assigned to annually come up with proposals on introduction of changes into funding of the program’s projects.

Projects, stipulated by the program, fall into internal and external. The first are mainly targeted at automatization of the work of officials, the second are assigned to provide access to citizens to modern IT-services. The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Federal Protective Service, the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Education and Science are responsible for internal projects. Clients of external projects are the majority of Federal Ministries and Departments.

Apart from the expected projects, associated with development of electronic document circulation, digital signature, security of data transfer, and other projects which have been adopted from the “Electronic Russia” program, the “Information Society” has got a number of “fresh” functions. Thus one of them - development of search tools based on different types of content – involves creation of a search engine, which is able to search texts, images, audio and video. Such search engine is expected to appear at every government website.

Another project – foundation of the national information and communication platform for digital content distribution – analogous to Apple iTunes service. However, according to the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, it has not been decided whether it would be public or private.

What is more the “Information Society” covers projects aimed at development of e-govt services, national software and cloud platforms, and payment system. Moreover, under the program, Russia will have a united road register, a tourist atlas of the country, electronic IUCN Red List, database of documents on education, federal electronic cadastre of real estate and other services, available via Internet.

Developers of the program hope that due to implementation of the “Information Society” program by 2020 Russia will enter the International top 10 judging by the index of IT development, and top 20 for development of electronic government and information society. Presently in these ratings Russia occupies 50-70 places.