Rustam Minnikhanov: «Our problem now - to create environment favorable for innovations»

Creation of the favorable environment for appearance and realization of new ideas should become the main task in developing innovative activity in the Russian Federation. Such an opinion the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov voiced at the session Council under Plenipotentiary Representative of RF President in the VFD on a theme «About expansion of practice of introducing innovations as one of the basic directions of modernizing industry of VFD regions », which took place in Kazan. The Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal district Grigory Rapota held a session, the heads of the VFD regions also took part in the session.

Before the beginning of the session Grigory Rapota informed the participants of Council on changes in its structure. In particular, the Council structure included the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov.

Grigory Rapota noticed, that the Volga Federal district is sated with the technological enterprises. According to data of Plenipotentiary administration, there are about 350 enterprises and organizations meant for introducing innovations. «Psychologically and organizational we already have come to it. Now ,it is necessary to estimate a state of affairs in the VFD and look what is necessary to do further», - G. Rapota addressed to the participants of session.
The key report was delivered by the head of working group of the Council, a governor of the Nizhniy Novgorod region Valery Shantsev . He marked that the VED regions can generate, first of all, innovations in sphere of energy efficiency, energy saving , space, medical, supercomputer technologies.

V.Shantsev informed that on average in the VFD deterioration of fixed capital in mining industry makes 40 percent, in processing - 50 percent, and only in power this indicator is less than 40 percent. «40 percent is a critical level, besides, it is technological backwardness,-Valery Shantsev stated. - In this connection modernization should be perceived not only as equipment replacement, but also as organizational re-organization».

The governor of the Nizhniy Novgorod region underlined that the innovative legislation is at a formation stage in Russia . «While the taken measures are directed on support of only limited circle of subjects of innovative activity. Business stimulation on increase of demand for production of innovations» is necessary, - considers V. Shantsev.

The regional authorities unlike federal management, according to the working group, do not give sufficient attention to support innovations. By data, which Valery Shantsev brought , the basic source of financing of technological innovations are own means of the enterprises - 80 percent. On the second place stands a federal budget. «At the same time the share of regions in support is insignificant», - the governor underlined. In this connection V. Shantsev recommended regions to apply more actively possibility of supporting the innovative enterprises, for example, by means of tax privileges.

The President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov informed participants of session on experience of republic in developing innovative activity. According to the head of republic, the production volume of high technology output in 2009 in Tatarstan increased by 15 percent and made 152 billion roubles. Relative density of production of the innovative enterprises in Gross Regional Product increased by 18 percent. «Even during instability the enterprises of republic did not turn off the innovative programs», - R.Minnikhanov underlined.

He informed also that a developed regional innovative infrastructure has been created in Tatarstan, which distinctive feature is presence of a various network of institutions of development. The special economic zone is effective in the republic , 4 industrial parks, a technopolis «Khimgrad», 9 technoparks, 6 investment and venture funds are operating.

Rustam Minnikhanov noticed, that the number of residents of «Alabuga» by 2015 will presumably grow to 30, they create 10 thousand workplaces, the volume of investments is to make 150 billion roubles.
Speaking about the technopolis «Khimgrad», the head of Tatarstan informed that in buildings and constructions, as a total area of 500 thousand square metres, about 250 small companies are working today. About 10 percent of «Khimgrad » produce exports beyond limits of Russia.

«In total, today we have 400 innovative projects for a total sum of 1,1 billion roubles», - Rustam Minnikhanov concluded.

Upon the end of meeting Grigory Rapota and Rustam Minnikhanov answered the questions of journalists. The Representative of the President in the VFD informed, that one of the main issues discussed today there were criteria of estimating results of intellectual, innovative activity.

«We have created material resources in the form of technoparks, business incubators, and now it is necessary to develop criteria of estimation. Here again discussion has inflamed between us, - Grigory Rapota. told the journalists - While we do not have definite answer, but, I think, it is possible to consider that patents, first of all, are results of innovative activity. Because one technopark can generate many patents, and 10 incubators may generate no product. We will continue to work, we are going to meet those people who work in this sphere».

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov has designated a direction of the further development of innovations in Tatarstan. He noticed that Dmitry Medvedev designated a task of economy modernization. «Each branch should vary, and people - our youth, our students are needed for this purpose. Therefore all should begin with education - from good schools and our universities, which should become the innovative centres, - the head of Tatarstan considers. - we should consider presence not only of the higher educational institutions, but also the centres of science - both state, and corporate. But in any innovation the main thing is a person who creates».

«Our main task now - to build up the innovative environment that people generated the ideas necessary for the economy», - Rustam Minnikhanov underlined.

The President of Tatarstan noticed that movement in this direction is marked not only in regions, but also at a federal level, having brought out as example the innovative town «Skolkovo». "Idea "Skolkovo” can be criticized, but it is an attempt to create the innovative centre, - R. Minnikhanov is sure. - special economic zones, federal, national research universities - all these are the attempts to activate innovation».
The problem, according to the head of Tatarstan, is not simple, but there is no other way in economy of Russia.