MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. The presidential State of the Nation Address is being made at the beginning of the year to accelerate the solution of important national tasks, President Vladimir Putin told the Federal Assembly.

"The Address to the Federal Assembly is being made for the first time at the beginning of the year. We are to address large-scale social, economic and technological tasks facing the nation without delay," Putin said.

Putin recalled that the content and benchmarks of the aforesaid tasks are reflected in the national projects, whose implementation would require new quality of state governance, operation of the government and all levels of power, as well as direct dialogue with the people.

"In society a demand for change has now been clearly defined. The people wish to see development and to move forward in their profession, in knowledge, and [they wish to see development] in achieving well-being and are ready to take responsibility for concrete tasks," Putin said. In his opinion the people know better what, how and why should be changed where they live and work — in cities and villages across the nation.

The president believes that the pace of change must grow with every year and yield tangible results for citizens to attain decent living standards.