Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed on Friday setting up a new agency with his involvement to promote new projects, including in business, and to support young professionals and social welfare projects.
"When I first analyzed everything we've done so far and as I was preparing for this meeting, an idea came to my head and I want to formulate it now: I have a proposal to set up an agency for strategic initiatives to promote new projects, which would be affiliated to the prime minister," he told a regional meeting of the ruling United Russia party, which he leads.
The prime minister said that Russia lacked a "spring board" for young and energetic people to move up the career ladder.
He called for involving young specialists who attend United Russia's regional conferences in the new agency's work. He said he had heard quite a few interesting ideas from younger people about business management at such conferences.
"We need a platform for a regular dialogue," Putin said.
Putin said he would charge one of his aides with overseeing the agency and the head of the new structure would be later elected through competition.
He said the agency would focus on three areas: first, new business - organizing start-ups and overseeing how promising innovation companies adapt to the market; second, efforts to promote young professionals in business and social spheres; and third, social welfare projects such as education, health care and culture.
Putin also said the agency should include people who directly deal with implementing new projects and that people with expertise and human resources of noncommercial organizations should be more actively involved in social welfare projects, including the budget-funded ones.
VOLGOGRAD, May 6 (RIA Novosti)
