GORKI. Aug 31 (Interfax) - Providing Internet access in small and remote populated localities in Russia using Russian satellites is one of the essential objectives of digital development for the next few years, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.
"We need to speed up the introduction of digital technology using primarily Russian developments. This is a matter of national security. And to complete the construction of fiber optical communications lines to a majority of populated localities," Medvedev said at a meeting devoted to federal budget spending for 2019 and the 2020-2021 period.
"Remote small towns and villages in the Far North, Siberia, and the Far East should be provided with steady Internet connections via the network of Russian satellites," Medvedev said.
The funding of manufacturing, transport infrastructure, the energy sector, and digital development was discussed at the meeting.
As always, particular agencies announced that they need extra state allocations, Medvedev said, proposing a discussion of optimal solutions.
National projects are direct tools for implementing objectives, he said. As to budget spending for production facilities, he said the top objective is not only increasing the output of high-tech products, but also exports of them. "This will require more intensive modernization of enterprises, development of logistics infrastructure, and readjustment of the export policy, especially the significant easing of export transactions," he said.
Regarding expansion of transport infrastructure, Medvedev said it is necessary to focus on developing the West-East and North-South Transport Corridors and building road infrastructure. "It's important to equip highways with smart digital systems that make it possible to control and analyze traffic flow. We will allocate substantial resources to building, reconstructing, and maintaining regional highways to Russian constituent entities," he said.