Russia is de-centralizing national projects

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 16 Jul 2019 by Alex Teddy

On July 15 Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced that he wished to transfer decision making on the 12 national projects to independent committees. Until now decision about the national projects had been made by the Presidium of the Council on Strategic Development and National Projects. This organization's processes were as lengthy as its name.The national projects were announced with great fanfare in the runup to the May 2018 presidential election. As many said the projects were too numerous and extensive. They were designed to get Putin re-elected as well as to assist economic growth particularly in the regions that are lagging behind. The projects have been scaled back considerably. There has been progress but it has usually been behind schedule and over budget.Medvedev's pragmatic decision is a recognition that the projects are too centralized. The government overestimated its ability to organize the minutiae of so many schemes. The Presidium did not manage to secure the services of construction companies and other contractors of the requisite quality in the remoter regions. The projects are also intended to cut unemployment and have barely dented it.

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