Head of the working group, Astrakhan Region Governor Alexander Zhilkin, briefed the participants on the preparation of a draft report.
Deputy Transport Minister Viktor Olersky, Head of the FederalAgencyforSea and Inland Water Transport, presented the working group’s draft report, which notes that enterprises in all sectors of the economy, including energy, transport and agriculture, are active water users. Water resources are widely used for recreational purposes. There is a pressing need to develop an effective mechanism to promote the interaction of all water users to ensure the integrated use of Russia’s water resources.
In his remarks, Perm Territory Governor Viktor Basargin focused on the need to review the present situation where most of the burden involved in the maintenance of river water engineering facilities is borne by Russian regions.
The draft report analyses the current status of the infrastructure of inland waterways and the transport fleet, reviews the role of inland waterways in the development of Russian regions and evaluates prospects for the development of inland water transport to ensure the balanced operation and development of Russia’s transport system.
The meeting was attended by Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative to the Siberian Federal District Nikolai Rogozhkin, heads of Russian regions, and representatives of federal executive bodies, the executive bodies of Russian regions, NGOs and the expert community.
Participants in the meeting of the working group pointed out that to ensure the comprehensive resolution of current issues in developing inland waterways, it is necessary to take into account the interests of national economic sectors that use water resources.