Breakthrough on information front

Principles of state policy of Tatarstan in the field of information and communications for 2003-2007 years were discussed January 15 at the Kazan Kremlin during the session of RT Security Council conducted by President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev.

Today a thought - out state policy in the field of information is an essential task for Tatarstan which should go in avant guarde of advanced achievements of science and technology, providing the population ample opportunities for using a modern information field, Mintimer Shaimiev emphasized, opening the session. The strategic concept in sphere of information for the nearest five years, developed by the RT ministry of economy of industry together with the ministries, departments, leading enterprises and the organizations specializing in this area, the head of republic named a breakthrough program which should be realized in spite of the fact that it demands significant investments.

Technological and intellectual "ground" for solving this major problem in republic, certainly, is. Last years as RT first deputy minister of communication Oleg Natanson noted, in Tatarstan a big work has been done on developing the networks of telecommunication and satisfaction of needs of the population and industrial enterprises in modern services of communication. For past ten years 942 thousand new telephone lines have entered in operation, today the services of wire and radio telephone communication in republic use 1,3 million subscribers. All cities and regions of the republic are equipped with modern digital automatic telephone exchanges. More than 98 percents of settlements are provided with telephones while on average in Russia this parameter does not exceed 65 percents. Scope of coverage by the Russian TV channels and GTRK "Tatarstan" has grown up to 99,3 percents. Due to creation of new TV company " New century (TNV) " it became possible to generate a uniform information field with coverage of Tatar Diaspora. The satellite broadcasting allows to receive "TNV " in the CIS and far abroad countries. However, the certain difficulties are present in sphere of TV broadcasting. At the session the offer on formation of republican fund of infra-communication development under the aegis of RT Ministry of Communication was stated intended for granting package of guaranteed social services.

By now the number of constant users of Internet in Tatarstan makes 90 thousand subscribers. However, the fact that the republic holds the first place in the Volga federal district on quantity of Internets users, in opinion of Mintimer Shaimiev is not an occasion for triumph. Tatarstan gradually should attain the parameters of the Europe. Therefore we go for global breakthrough project in the field of information and communications, noted the head of republic.

RT Security Council has approved the program " Principles of state policy of Republic Tatarstan in the field of information and communication for 2003-2007 years " and recommended the President of Tatarstan to ratify this document. By April 1 of present year the Government of republic should accept normative -legal documentation on implementation of this program.