The concept of implementing of digital technologies in the Ulyanovsk region was highly praised by international and Russian experts of WeGO

During the round-table meeting which was held on the 29th of June the members of the Fourth General Assembly of World e-Governments Organization of Cities and Local Governments (WeGO) discussed the document submitted by the Governor of the Ulyanovsk region Sergey Morozov. The mayors of the cities where the programmes of Smart City are being implemented commented favourably on the project which is planned to have been implemented by 2030.

 ‘The concept ‘Smart City’ focuses on using information and communication technologies, the Internet of Things and analysing big data for the development of infrastructure both in the region and in separate spheres of economy. We intend to develop economy, housing and communal services, power engineering, resource economy, transport services, education, public health service, townplanning, ecology, security (including cybersecurity) and e-governance. In each field we have determined the desired results, or the image of the future which we aspire to achieve. For each field we have made a list of projects which will help us to achieve the goals and indentified the milestones in the process for implementation. So, we’ve reached the consensus on the problem of development of the region by taking into account world trends and successful practices of this kind. The ultimate goal is to improve the efficiency of the public and municipal administration, competitiveness of the regional economy and the quality of the citizens’ life and the environment, which is the most important thing’, said Mr.Sergey Morozov.

The draft of the document includes such major trends of work as ‘Smart Public Health Service’, ‘Smart Education’, ‘Smart Buildings’, ‘Smart Transport’, ‘Smart Power Engineering’, ‘Smart Culture’, ‘Green Region’. The president of WeGO, the Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon commented favourably on the project of Ulyanovsk concept ‘Smart Region’ and noted that the document is made for improving the citizens’ life.

 ‘It’s a real manual for future city planning. It also includes administrative aspects such as economy, environmental protection, transport, security and so on. This strategy proves the fact that the Ulyanovsk region aspires to use digital technologies to solve urban problems, improve the quality of the citizens’ life and strengthen the regional economy. I see that the Ulyanovsk region is doing its best to get the citizens’ support, improve their competences in digital technologies and become a ‘smart city’ which works for the benefit of citizens. I think that the most important thing concerning the adoption of the initiatives of ‘Smart City’ consists in taking into account the citizens’ needs. Digital technologies in administration are to simplify and improve their lives. I hope that the Ulyanovsk region will implement all its plans and will have achieved its goals by 2030. I look forward to the moment when the Ulyanovsk region can share its story of success and knowledge with us – members of WeGO’, said Mr.Park Won-soon.

The importance and integrity of the project of the regional concept was noted by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of the Information Society Mr.Yuri Hohlov.

 ‘Only when it has been implemented will we understand whether it’s successful or not. But if it is well-framed and if all modern trends have been taken into consideration – that’s definitely so. I would like to say that the Ulyanovsk region is the first one which has developed such a strategy and it’s praiseworthy. It quite corresponds to that conceptual framework of the development of ‘Smart city’, ‘Smart region’ which was being discussed at the General WeGO Assembly and at the same time it corresponds with the programme ‘Digital economy’ which has been just drafted in the Russian Federation and I hope it will be approved at the Presidential Council on the 5th of July. It’s very important that the Ulyanovsk region implements its part of the national programme and moves towards the development of digital economy in the next six years’, said Mr.Yuri Hohlov.

Earlier at the meeting of the General Assembly Mr.Sergey Morozov pointed out that the cities of the Ulyanovsk region would apply for the status of pilot cities for the next three years while implementing the programme ‘Digital economy in Russia’. By the end of August they plan to have determined the territories where the technologies of ‘Smart City’ could be tested at the federal level until 2020.

Such practices are partly implemented in the Ulyanovsk region. For example, the regional health information system, which accumulates millions of records from public clinics. Citizens of the Ulyanovsk region have been using online appointment request at any clinic for several years now. Soon there will be electronic medical certificates. Besides, the Ulyanovsk region has been attracting investment in the development of digital economy, particularly, in the production of decisions for ‘smart cities’. A wind farm is being built in the region; production of ‘smart lamps posts’ will be initiated.

04.07.17 11:51