Information technology and power: Interactive cooperation of citizens and organizations with governing authorities gains ground

At the meeting of the Federation Council, which was held on January 26, 2011 under the "government hour", the head of the Russian Ministry of Communications Igor Shchegolev told senators about the plans to implement the state program "Information Society (2011-2020)".

Having noted that the direction of state programs follow in general the Information Society Development Strategy, approved by the President of the Russian Federation, the Minister specified, that trade areas of the Plan for Strategy realization have been extended and combined according to the type structure of targeted programs. "As a result we have a new are - the digital content. This is the information in pure form, as a subject and object of the information society "- he added.

The result of the program, according to Igor Shchegolev should be the improvement of transparency and control, ensuring of sustainability and competitiveness of the economy as a whole.

Shchegolev described in detail each of the six areas of the "Information Society" program: improving the quality of life of citizens, improving the environment for business development, creation of an electronic state and the development of the Russian ICT market, bridging the digital divide, security in the information society and the preservation of cultural heritage.

One of the initial phases of the program is the development of means of access to information. The Minister noted that "in the near future a cell phone will become the main means of access to information. If we lag behind in terms of computerization of the population in households, according to the level of penetration of cellular communications we are among the leading countries in the world”.

"Developing the means of access, we need to implement functional services, access to which we provide, at a faster rate. This primarily concerns the development of public services in electronic form, various functional applications, means of e-democracy, "- said the head of the Ministry of Communications.

Particular attention Shchegolev devoted to improving the effectiveness of implementing information technology in government. The Minister proposed to abandon the creation of various information systems and data processing centers in favor of achieving concrete results through the organization of inter-agency cooperation and effective use of existing resources.

"Taking into account other interactive services offered on the sites of public authorities, interactive communication of citizens and organizations with public authorities is gaining momentum," - summed up Shchegolev.