Moscow, June 16: Russian President Vladimir Putin today appointed St Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev as the sixth deputy prime minister in the Russian cabinet. Yakovlev has been entrusted the portfolios of housing and municipal services, civil construction and development of intercontinental transport networks, including north-south transport corridor linking India to Russia and beyond, Russian government press service said. Announcing Yakovlev's appointment at the session of the state council of governors in St Petersburg, Putin said that it was in the pipeline for a long time and was postponed till the 300th anniversary celebrations of the city. Putin underscored that Yakovlev appointment would further strengthen the cabinet of Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who personally had proposed this. Bureau Report