5. Conclusions
1) The results provide a methodological and procedural basis designed to
continue monitoring the socio-economic situation in the regions of Russia, and
tracking the alterations occurring in major typological groups of the regions.
2) This basis allows a scientific foundation of a comprehensive targeted
government program purposed to support depressive and backward regions of
Russia. The borders of depressive regions (and of traditionally backward ones)
might not coincide with administrative borders of the subjects of RF. The status
of depressive or backward region shall be granted only after the analysis of
technical and economic indicators has been completed for a time span of 10 to
15 years, and for a definite term, the objective being very precise and aimed to
either restore or update the economic basis of development to the effect of
reviving the part played by a region in the territorial division of labor.
Recommendations concerning the development of such a region and its way out
of depressive state call for systemic studies to idetntify the conditions conducive
to its self-development (once it gets sufficient «forces» to recover its economy).
Each case would involve reviewing of what caused low-grade economic
indicators and elaborating a specific system of efforts to be made in order to do
away with depressive state (terms, amount of allocations and the project
implementation mechanism).
3) An important trend of further studies on regional development in RF is to identify
the regions capable of fulfilling the function of most effective regional «growth
poles», of reaching swiftly yet another level in its development in qualitative
terms, and of becoming a hub for the inception of new economic relations,
innovative designs, positive structural changes (to become leading regions,
driving-ahead-regions).
These types of regions do exist in Russia, but they need certain government
support via special program-oriented efforts in the context of the state’s regional
policy, primarily on the basis of a variety of most-favored-region treatment
approaches, indirect control-levels and incentives.
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