111 million people covered by the "Infrastructure Development in Key Settlements" project

In Russia, large-scale work has been underway to develop infrastructure and improve people's quality of life. As part of the spatial development strategy and the national project "Infrastructure for Life", a federal project "Infrastructure Development in Key Settlements" was launched. Its goal is to build a system of spatial growth that covers key territories of Russia, from large agglomerations to strategically important settlements that become points of attraction for the regions' development. This was stated by Vasily Kupyzin, Director General of the PLC Territorial Development Fund, while delivering a report at the "Platform of the Future: 100 projects of Russia. Construction" presentation session, which was hosted by the National Centre RUSSIA.

"In accordance with the spatial development strategy, the project "Infrastructure Development in Key Settlements" has been developed under the national project. Together with heads of each region, we have formed 2,160 key settlements. The list includes not only large agglomerations, cities with millions of people, but also settlements that have geostrategic significance, those where certain growth points are concentrated. Thus, we have covered more than 70% of our country's population who live in these 2,160 key settlements. That's about 111 million people," Vasily Kupyzin said.

However, according to him, this does not mean that citizens who do not live in the key settlements will be left without the attention of the state. A key component of this development is connectivity, he added. The quality of life, including nearby towns and villages, depends on the development of a particular settlement. As a result of the federal project's implementation, the quality of life of every Russian will improve by 30%, the head of the Territorial Development Fund is confident.

"Comprehensive infrastructure development programmes are currently being developed. How do we measure the quality? It can be measured only by means of creating each specific object. As part of a huge work, a list of more than 115,000 events has been shaped in all areas of activity," said Vasily Kupyzin. "The methodology includes 16 components, literally all aspects of life: the commissioning of real estate, the resettlement of condemned housing, the quality of utility infrastructure, digitalization, gasification, and public spaces. The quality of roads, which affect the connectivity of the settlements, is also on that list. All this affects the people of our country."

A series of thematic programmes "Platform of the Future: 100 projects of Russia" is being held at the National Centre RUSSIA. They are dedicated to the national development goals set out in Presidential Decree No. 309. Five more thematic meetings will be held before the end of the year. The most important initiatives covering the social and infrastructural sphere, environmental issues, industry, economy and culture will be presented there. The projects will be presented by members of the Russian Government and heads of ministries responsible for the implementation of national projects and the achievement of national goals. The presentations will take place at the National Centre RUSSIA.