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Russia's Strategic Development Council to consider 11 priority areas — source

The Council will deal with key projects aimed at structural changes in the economy and the social sphere and at higher economic growth rates

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Japaridze

RUSSIA'S ECONOMY

MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. The Strategic Development and Priority Projects Council under the Russian President will discuss eleven priority areas and listen to reports of three ministers at its meeting on July 13, a source familiar with the Council agenda told TASS on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced establishment of the Council at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 17. The Council will deal with key projects aimed at structural changes in the economy and the social sphere and at higher economic growth rates, the president said.

"Eleven priority areas are considered before the Council meeting: healthcare, education, mortgage lending and rented housing, utilities and improvement of urban environment, labor productivity increase, high quality and safe roads, export support, small and medium enterprises support, environment and single-industry towns, and control and supervision activity," the source said.

Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova, Education Minister Dmitry Livanov and Construction Minister Mikhail Men will speak at the first meeting of the Council. Ministers will suggest specific tasks to be resolved within the project approach framework, the source said.

"Three-four key problems will be presented in each of these areas at the Council meeting, which shall be resolved in midterm. Specific projects at next meetings of the Council Presidium will be selected from them," the source said.

The Council Presidium chaired by the Prime Minister will meet monthly and the Council headed by the President will hold meetings once per quarter.

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