Skuf'ina T.P.Luzin Institute of Economic Problems, Kola Science Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Murmansk Oblast, Russian Federation skufina@iep.kolasc.net.ru
Importance The article focuses on the specifics of the current regional policy and its influence on the northern regions of Russia. Objectives The research examines the effect of the State program of the Russian Federation Regional Policy and Federative Relations (the Program) on the socio-economic development prospects of the regions in the Russian North. Methods I applied a set of general scientific and special methods, including the abstraction and logic method, structural and functional modeling, statistical analysis, etc. Results It is important to evaluate the effect of the regional policy on socio-economic development prospects in a special type of challenged regions, i.e. regions in the Russian North. I scrutinize target indicators of the Program in terms of socio-economic development of the regions in the Russian North. The northern idiosyncrasy was found to be disregarded in target indicators and diluted in the general provisions of the Program. The previous Program documents were noted to determine and present problems, objectives and prospects of the northern regions in separate sections (provisions). In this respect, I recommend to return this practice so to effectively implement State programs for the northern regions. Conclusions and Relevance I conclude that priorities of the State regional policy as pronounced in the Program, absolutely comply with requirements of sustainable, balanced socio-economic development of the Russian North. However, mechanisms for implementing the priorities fail to consider the northern specifics. It will impede comprehensive and maximum involvement of the Program mechanisms into balanced development of the regions in the Russian North.
Keywords: region, policy, development, regions, north
References:
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Baranov S.V. Etapy regulirovaniya regional'nogo razvitiya v Rossii [Stages of control of the regional development in Russia]. Ekonomicheskie i sotsial'nye peremeny: fakty, tendentsii, prognoz = Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast, 2011, no. 6, pp. 34–45.