The development strategy of Kazan until 2030 is recognized the best in Russia

(KZN.RU, November 20, Alsu Safina). Kazan became the winner of the All-Russian competition of urban strategies. The capital of Tatarstan shared the first place with Tomsk in the group “Capitals of the Subjects of the Federation”. The winners were awarded in Yekaterinburg within the framework of the forum of strategic development “Cities of Russia 2030”.

“Such victories inspire, of course”, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, said today on the Business Monday. “Especially, a victory among large cities with million population, capitals of the subjects of the RF”.

He noted that it is worth a lot to bypass such cities as Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Ulyanovsk and Ufa: “There are people in the hall who remember the near post-Soviet times. We couldn’t ever have thought of this just in couple of decades!”

The strategy of social and economic development of Kazan until 2030 was adopted by deputies on December 14, 2016, at the XII session of the Kazan City Duma. The Mayor marked that the creation of such a large document as a strategy, united the efforts of a large number of people.

“We worked on this document all together: the scientific community, entrepreneurs, large industrial enterprises, public organizations and, most importantly, our residents”, said the Mayor. “We received a large number of suggestions, recommendations, comments that formed the basis of the final document”.

According to the Mayor, it was the broad public discussion in the creation of the document that became the strong side of the capital of Tatarstan. “I followed closely how we are progressing in the semifinals and finals. Experts noted that this is the strength of Kazan. There wasn’t such a broad discussion with the population anywhere else, with those who live on this document, with those for whom this document was created. It is important. This is a living document, on which we ourselves and our followers will have to work and answer for it”, added the head of the city.

“It's nice not only that we won but also that this victory was given by independent experts, a very authoritative jury”, marked the Mayor.

“The creation and adoption of the strategy is a great effort. The implementation of this document, by which we will work together with you, is an even greater responsibility”, summed up Ilsur Metshin. “We are still moving to create a comfortable environment, the most comfortable and safe city, where it will be able to realize all talents, all abilities. And we do it systematically”.

Ildar Shakirov, the deputy head of the Executive Committee, spoke about how the contest of city strategies was held. Having passed expert selection in the extra-mural stage, the strategy of Kazan passed into the semifinal of the competitions among the cities-capitals of the subjects of federations. The semifinal was held on October 23 in St. Petersburg in the framework of the XVI All-Russian Forum “Strategic Planning in Regions and Cities of Russia”. By the results of the presentation, 5 experts out of 7 members of the jury gave their vote to Kazan, one expert put Kazan in second place, and another one decided not to give Kazan the first place. “It was for ethical reasons, as he was a participant in the development of the first strategy”, explained I. Shakirov.

Kazan went to the finals well ahead of everyone. The final was held on November 16 in the all-Russia forum of strategic development “Cities of Russia 2030: the crossroads of opportunities”. More than 600 representatives of government, public, science, and business, as well as experts in the field of development and planning from 84 cities of Russia,  took part in the forum in Yekaterinburg.

“All the representatives of the cities that came to the finals presented their projects and answered the questions of the expert community. By the results of the final speech, the development strategy of Kazan until 2030 was recognized the best in the country among the major cities of Russia”, said the deputy head of the Executive Committee. “The jury especially evaluated Tomsk's strategy. Noting how difficult it is to compete with cities with million population, they awarded the second diploma of the winner to the Tomsk administration”.