Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has set up major tasks for the newly-unveiled government soon after President Vladimir Putin's approval on Monday.

During the first cabinet meeting with his old and new colleagues, Medvedev outlined seven priorities for the new government: to push forward basic socio-economic development programs, submit budget plans of next three years, raise wages of workers from certain social fields, improve investment climate, reform public service, privatize state companies and foster the " open government" mechanism.

The government would not restrict itself from those listed tasks, the president-turned prime minister said, adding that the development of the country, the well-being of its people and the solutions to its economy "depend on our coordinated and efficient effort."

The government has been replaced by approximately three-fourths, Medvedev said. "These are new people, who have appeared just recently or have not been the government members before," local media quoted him as saying.

The cabinet led by Medvedev comprises one first deputy prime minister, seven deputies and 21 ministers.

Medvedev submitted the lineup before he attended a Group of Eight (G8) summit on May 18-19. Putin approved the lineup of the new government after a week-long contemplation, the maximum time allowed by the Constitution.

Medvedev brought with him into the government a president's aide Arkady Dvorkovich and promoted to the deputy prime minister position a Moscow's former deputy mayor, Olga Golodets.

The health and social development has been divided into two ministries, with Maxim Topilin heading the labor and social development ministry and Veronika Skvortsova leading the public health ministry.

The new government includes two ministers which did not exist before, namely ministry for Far East development and open government contacts ministry.

Viktor Ishayev becomes the head of the Far East development ministry and presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District.

Mikhail Abysov heads the open government contacts ministry. The open government project, proposed earlier by Medvedev, is aimed at bridging the gap between policy makers and the common people by offering better advices and valuable feedback.

Igor Shuvalov remains as first deputy prime minister, while Sergei Lavrov holds his position as foreign minister. Moscow police chief Vladimir Kolokoltsev was appointed as the new interior minister and Andrei Belousov was named as the new economic development minister.

"I would like to wish you and all our colleagues success. We will now be meeting with the new Cabinet," Putin told Medvedev during the formation meeting.

Putin said that the new government faces challenges of developing Russia in the uncertain global economic atmosphere.

Though "a lot has been done in recent times," not all goals have been realized, and "still more remains to be done," the president said.