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Mr Medvedev instructed the big state corporations and the Government at the start of 2010 to draw up innovative development programmes and make plans for substantially expanding research and development spending. The deadline for carrying out this instruction came at the end of last year. The Economic Development Ministry assesses the work as only 40-percent complete, and only a third of companies are ready to approve their innovative development programmes.

The President criticised state agencies and state-owned enterprises for their failure to carry out the instructions on innovation policy, and said that the main reason for this state of affairs is that these companies’ and ministries’ heads do not see it as a priority task. Another problem, in the President’s view, is the lack of people among state enterprises’ executives specifically responsible for innovation.

Mr Medvedev instructed the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office and the Government to draft proposals on personal responsibility for CEOs of big, partially state-owned companies that do not give innovation due attention. Furthermore, state corporations have been ordered to finalize and approve their innovative development programmes in the next few months.

Before the meeting of the Commission, the President had a working meeting with Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Valery Shantsev. The regional authorities’ work on innovation was the main subject on the agenda.

Mr Medvedev also visited the Temp-Avia research and production centre in Arzamas. This company develops and manufactures gyroscopes and instruments for all types of aircraft.