IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

Every year need for production and services in the field of information and communication technologies in Russia grows, information literacy of the population increases, the number of Internet users grows. In the information society information is both a subject of mass consumption, and a powerful economic resource. Development of information technologies directly influences development science and technologies, efficiency of public administration, and even political system - when it comes to access to resources and democracy development. All this raises new demands to authorities for formation of the regulatory legal base promoting development of information society in the country aimed at creation of the e-Government and development of informatization in regions. It was discussed at the session of the presidium of the State Council of the Russian Federation on implementation of the Information Society Development Strategy in the Russian Federation held on July 17 in Petrozavodsk by the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev.

However, the e-Government is at the very start of its development. There is still much to be done to let citizens of any region of the country conclude contracts through the Internet, submit tax returns, obtain information concerning procession of a document. Also electronic document circulation between authorities is undeveloped yet. The tasks put at the session of the State Council by the President of the country should be fulfilled by 2010.

Every year information and communication technologies in Karelia become a more and more powerful tool for solution of social and economic tasks and improvement of quality of life of the people. Creation of specific services in the field of IT was started in our republic a long time ago. For many people e-mail became a usual communication tool. In Karelian Internet-space it is possible to receive various information. Official site of authorities of the Republic of Karelia, in turn, provides information both on activity of executive bodies and legislature, local self-government of the republic, and on its industrial, tourist and investment potential and, of course, daily news on life in the republic. Today the main official Internet-resource of Karelia is in the forefront ratings of power structures of the country and its regions. Any citizen of he republic has an opportunity to ask a question to the Head of the Republic or any official from the home computer or any public Internet access point and receive a timely and competent answer. From this point during the session of presidium of the State Council Karelia's experience has appeared to be useful for other regions of the country. Yet, much remains to be done.

Continuation of work on development of the e-Government became the first session of the working group on perfection of the official site of bodies of the government of the the Republic of Karelia created under the initiative of the Head of Karelia of Sergey Katanandov. Issues at the session of the working group under the presidency of the deputy head of Administration of the Head of the RK of Stanislav Feoktistov concerned making access to information resources more easy, simplifying ways of citizens' communication to the authorities and reducing terms of the answer receiving. Having defined the circle of tasks to be solved first of all, participants of the session have made a decision to develop special rules to define duties of the ministries and departments on development of the site, terms of work with references of citizens, etc. In the long term there are also preparation of offers on perfection of the republican Internet-portal and its appearance, occurrence of new services and sections.

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Quelle/Source: Republic of Karelia, 20.10.2008