The term "development" is one of the most commonly used in various fields of knowledge. By it is meant a progressive upward movement to something. Development is a progressive directional change in indicators, and most often it is about growth. With respect to economics, development means progress in a particular area of economic activity. In the form of a graph, this process will take the form of an ascending line (straight or uneven) relative to the general timeline.
Sometimes development also means the reverse process associated with a decrease in performance. In this case, they talk about the development of regression (recession) in the economy, about the negative development of the economy. But in this understanding, the term "development" is used less often. Regional economic development is an integral part of world development.
World process
The development of the economy takes place all over the world and is associated with the general development of mankind. A less perfect technique is replaced by a more perfect one that increases labor productivity. The scale of resource extraction, yield, personal welfare of citizens and the amount of products they consume are growing. Global GDP is also growing. Along with this, in some regions the reverse process is taking place and economic indicators are declining. Now, the most striking example of this is Venezuela, where there was a collapse of economic indicators.
Environmental problems
Economic development is almost always accompanied by costs in the form of a reduction in natural areas, an increase in the environmental load, climate change, pollution, an increase in the number of diseases, and a reduction in individual economic sectors (for example, fishing, hunting, and recreation). Extensive industrial and agricultural development, urbanization and the so-called industrial tourism, which are actively promoted in our country, are most harmful to the environment.
Economic development and social sphere
The pursuit of economic progress can even harm the social sphere. Excessive burden on workers, raising the retirement age, stimulating fertility and other similar measures are not good for the population, although they contribute to economic growth. Therefore, in many countries, more and more attention is paid to the social aspect, trying not only to increase the bare numbers, but also to make people's lives better. The best option for this is a socialist system. Within capitalism, this is more difficult to do. The main aspects of socio-economic development:
- increase in incomes of the population;
- changes in various structures of society;
- change in public consciousness;
- changing habits and traditions.
The main goal of economic development in many countries is to improve the quality of life of the population, rather than bare numbers. Now this approach is becoming more widespread.
Economic development of the regions
Each region has its own weaknesses and its own problems, and therefore federal programs must be adjusted at the regional level, tailored to the particular region. The main objectives of regional socio-economic development are: increasing citizens' incomes, reducing poverty, improving health care, developing regional education, improving the quality of food, solving environmental problems, developing culture, sports, the labor market, creating recreation areas and improving them.
In regions that have lost their former economic importance, it is necessary to create new industries that meet the needs of the time, retraining of working personnel. Such areas should be under special control of the federal authorities.
Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation
The development process should be under the control of the country's central authority. In order to coordinate when solving such issues and managing these processes, a federal center was created - the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation. Until September 2014, it was called the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia. Now the Minister of this department is Igor Nikolaevich Slyunyaev, who is empowered to issue orders.
The Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation is a federal executive body that implements state policy regarding the improvement of regions. Responsible for providing state support, implementation of projects for the socio-economic development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Much attention is paid to protecting the rights of national minorities and small peoples living in Russia. For support, funds of the Investment Fund of the Russian Federation, allocations from the federal budget are used. Programs are being developed for integrated territorial development, and rules for the allocation of funds. The issues of urban planning, housing and communal services, the implementation of federal targeted programs are examined and studied. The emergence of the regional development institute makes it possible to quickly and cost-effectively oversee various types of activities in the regions, which will intensify the country's governance processes and accelerate overall economic growth.
Methods for assessing the economic development of regions
A standard method for assessing regional economic development is the analysis of production volumes. Basically, it means material production. Of no small importance is the dynamics of the value of population incomes. This approach is currently being revised. International organizations propose expanding the list of indicators to include aspects such as healthcare, education, environmental protection, and the quality of life of citizens. The UN Development Program proposes to use the so-called human development index. The indicators for each of these areas are tracked separately.
There are a lot of indicators of economic development in the regions. The condition and number of kindergartens, schools, higher educational institutions, the general level of education and qualifications of workers are important parameters that determine the degree of development of the region. Modern indicators are also such as compliance with consumer rights, the quality of products and goods.
Development problems in the regions of the Russian Federation
According to a number of parameters, our country is rightly considered one of the developing countries. So, the state of medicine is one of the worst in the world. In Russia, low life expectancy, high prevalence of chronic diseases. This is largely due to the habits and lifestyle of the population itself. Drinking is very common in Russia. A low level of culture and environmental self-awareness is noted. Inequality in income sharply hinders economic and social progress.
Negative trends extend to the quality of food, goods and services. The income level of the population is also very low. Many cities have serious environmental problems. The most developed in our country, of course, are the oil-producing regions of Western Siberia, as well as the Moscow region. They are more consistent with the criteria of economically developed countries.
Military sphere
The military sphere, which we have developed the best, is not among the indicators of socio-economic development and is considered only in the context of the development of the armed forces. Moreover, it is often an impetus to progress in the economy and social life of the region, contributes to the development of regional education, housing and communal services, transport, trade, etc.
Depressed Regions
In Russia there are backward depressed regions that flourished during the Soviet Union, after the collapse of which the products they produced were not in demand, which sharply worsened their socio-economic situation. The rapid depletion of traditional oil reserves in Western Siberia can lead to the fact that now developed cities such as Tyumen, will quickly degrade. A decline in production may begin in the coming years. However, this region is not suitable for the development of agriculture.
Territorial entities that are independent of the extraction of non-renewable resources will be able to develop and are less likely to become depressed. With the right approach, agriculture and tourism can be a source of stable income and will not lose their relevance in the future. The likely risks here are related to climate change and possible soil depletion (if used improperly). It is known that chernozem tends to be depleted. In the presence of adverse climatic shifts, these trends may intensify. Last year, Europe lost a significant portion of its harvest due to drought and intense heat caused by global warming. And the ski resorts of Switzerland have big problems for the same reason.
In Russia, many regions are located in the zone of risk farming, in which agriculture may become (or has already become) unprofitable. This will affect their level of economic development. These include: the Volga region, the Rostov region, the South Urals, the south of Western Siberia and some others.
State strategy
Regional development management is based on a differentiated approach to the implementation of state regional policy, taking into account differences in the resource base, regional differences, regional history and socio-cultural background.
The developed planning strategy was distinguished by the Soviet Union. After its collapse in the early 90s, the trend of market dominance prevailed. The chaotic nature of management is preserved now. And if at the federal level the situation after the 90s partially improved, then at the regional level there are often serious planning problems. Often the development of certain industries in the regions does not lead to a noticeable improvement in the socio-economic situation in them. This is due to the fact that many industries are subordinate to private capital companies that are not always interested in the prosperity of the subject where they conduct their business.
A clear regional development strategy is often lacking. There are only some of its elements. The lack of good state planning and full-fledged centers for regional development of the subjects of the Federation leads to the fact that many of them exist on their own, which impedes the improvement of the country's economy as a whole. As a result, each owner primarily pursues his own personal interests, which leads to the randomness and inconsistency of various types of economic activity in the regions.
