The President informed the meeting that he has signed the decree on the creation of the Government Defence Industry Commission. The commission will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and Vladislav Putilin has been appointed his first deputy. The commission’s creation was motivated by the need to intensify work in the defence industry.
Defence Minister Ivanov informed the President about upcoming joint exercises with the U.S. Navy in the Marianne Islands. Mr Ivanov also reported on a series of major exercises held by the Missile Forces and the Paratroops.
Health and Social Development Minister Mikhail Zurabov informed the President that pensions will increase by 8.5 percent as of April 1.
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev spoke about a meeting on affordable and comfortable housing that took place on March 16.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov reported on the preparation of a targeted federal programme to develop the Sochi area as a mountain resort zone. A law should soon be passed that will facilitate the establishment of special tourism zones in addition to the special economic zones.