Meeting of the working group on the Great Volga Route at the State Council Commission on Transport 2023-10-17 18:00:00 Moscow Presidential Aide and State Council Secretary Igor Levitin and Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin held the latest meeting of the working group on the Great Volga Route at the State Council Commission on Transport. As per the President’s instructions, work is ongoing to draft a comprehensive development programme for the Great Volga Route geostrategic territory. Based on available proposals and the technical specifications prepared by the working group, the Higher School of Economics, supported by the Presidential Executive Office, examined the concept of the document compiled following a comprehensive analysis of the new geostrategic territory to prepare the design of the Great Volga Route programme. A report on the results of the evaluation was delivered by a representative of the Higher School of Economics. Between October 2022 and August 1, 2023, the working group submitted 567 proposals to the Secretariat. Out of these, 421 have been grouped in seven areas covering transport; innovative shipbuilding; tourism, urban environment and quality of life; ecology, environmental protection and eco-friendly industries; the creation of a digital environment (information support) for the socioeconomic development and safety of the Great Volga Route regions; fish farming and fishing; and the creation of conditions for interregional economic and information cooperation, including the training of personnel and scientific support for the projects. The focus is on the tourism industry as one of the main development components in the Volga regions within the framework of the proposed Great Volga Route programme. Following the discussion, a concept for the Great Volga Route programme has been drafted and will be submitted to the State Council Presidium for consideration and approval.