Moscow: Russian Parliament today (Mar 5, 2004) overwhelmingly approved Mikhail Fradkov, an old India hand, as Prime Minister of the country ahead of the March 14 Presidential elections.

Fradkov's nomination was backed by 352-58 votes with 24 abstentions in the 450-strong State Duma or the Lower House of Parliament.

53-year-old Fradkov, who would be the ninth Prime Minister of the post-Soviet Russia, required the minimum 226 votes for his approval.

He was named as prime-ministerial candidate by President Vladimir Putin on Monday (Mar 1, 2004) in the wake of surprise dismissal of Mikhail Kasyanov on February 24, weeks ahead of this month's Presidential polls in the country.

Now under the Russian constitution, Putin has to issue a decree on his formal appointment and await his Cabinet list for approval.

Addressing the House before the confirmation vote, Fradkov, who was posted in the Economic Wing of the erstwhile Soviet Embassy in New Delhi from 1973 to 1975, presented the agenda of his Government involving the radical cuts in the behemoth Cabinet to transform it into an efficient machinery for energetic economic reforms based on a breakthrough in the intensive development of knowledge-based industries.

He said the prime tasks of his Government would be to combat corruption, raise the living standards of the people, eradicate poverty and ensure security.