OREANDA-NEWS. June 30, 2011. A new state city program "The information city 2012-2016" has been approved at the session of the Moscow City Government. It is planned to spent 205 bln RUB (\\$7.3 bln) from the budget on the IT and telecom development program "The information city" in the next five years. The total cost of expenditures will be up to 329 bln RUB including non-budgetary sources. The expenditures will be increased by 8% annually — from 35 bln RUB in 2012 up to 47.6 bln RUB in 2016.

"The information city" program includes four parts: "increasing living standards of the city dwellers and creation of appropriate conditions for business development", "development of intelligent systems for the city management", "improvement of telecommunication infrastructure and development of the city mass-media, book publishing and advertising".

According to the program, up to 100% of state services ought to be transferred into electronic form. All city dwellers will be provided with electronic digital signatures in order to get an access to these services. By 2016 80% of Muscovites are expected to have them. Electronic documents will be as valid as paper ones.

Intelligent city management system ought to monitor more than 70% of the objects of the city economy on a real time basis and guarantee effective performance of the public utilities and efficient use of equipment. The data from the meters set in households will be collected and processed automatically.

In November 2010 the Moscow Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, sharply criticized the pace at which the program of the city’s informatization, "The electronic Moscow", is being implemented saying "we can’t take pride in providing electronic services in healthcare, education and other social spheres". The Mayor promised that "the program will be up and running within a year".