Program to ensure transport sector's competitiveness - premier
The program to modernize Russia's transport system, proposed by the Transport Ministry, will ensure its rapid development and competitiveness, Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov stated as he opened a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
The government, at its session on Thursday is expected to consider the federal goal-oriented program "Modernization of Russia’s Transport System in 2010-2015."
"The materials spell out the objectives and mechanisms which will ensure the necessary advance development of this sector, its competitiveness, investment attractiveness and affordability of transport services for citizens," Zubkov underlined.
"Alone the federal budget will allocate 4.651 trillion roubles for the program. As for the tasks, I'd specifically note the commissioning of 4,700 kilometers of new railway tracks, the construction and renovation of 7,300 kilometers of federal highways and 116 runways,' the prime minister sated.
"The ministries are offered a range of innovations which will provide for a flexible tariff policy to reduce prices of services," Zubkov added noting the necessity to ensure a high level of safety and reliability of the transport systems.
"As a result of the implementation of the program, the population's transport mobility will increase by 30 percent, the number of passengers will increase by dozens of time, and almost 100 percent of hard-surface federal roads will be able to meet the requirements. Cargo transit through the Russian territory will reach 42.7 million tonnes by 2015. Last year, cargo transit totaled 28 million tonnes," the prime minister noted.
Zubkov underlined that "to realize the innovative model of economic growth, it is necessity to ensure advance development of the transport infrastructure, which must be affordable, safe and effective."