MOSCOW, October 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president said Wednesday that state-controlled energy giant Gazprom's program to connect regions to the gas supply network will affect 11 million people in 53 regions by 2008.

In 2005, Vladimir Putin ordered to accelerate the national program to bring gas, to be used for heating and other purposes, to more towns and rural areas, in a bid to improve living standards in the country.

Speaking at an annual televised question-and-answer session, Putin said: "Gazprom has announced an additional gasification program in the country. An extra 35 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) will be allocated for the purpose in the next three years. The program will cover 11 million people in 53 constituent members of the [Russian] Federation, largely in small towns and villages."

As of late 2005, only 53% of towns across Russia and 34% of villages had access to gas pipelines. First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who oversees national priority projects to improve living standards, said in late October the program will raise the gasification level in the country to 60% by 2008.