Spatial Characteristics of Regions in the Processes of Inter-Budgetary Alignment

Abstract

The paper considers issues of improving the tools of inter-budgetary alignment in the Federal state as a necessary condition for regulating the spatial structure of the economy and overcoming the existing regional socio-economic disparities. The author defines the methodological aspects of the study and issues related to the spatial aspects of regional development in the system of public administration. Insufficient elaboration of these issues (in scientific and methodological plans) required the use of «special management methods» to overcome the accumulated imbalances in the social development of the Far Eastern regions of the country. The paper contains calculations and a comparative interregional analysis of the severity of spatial imbalances concerning investment and budgetary provisions for regional development at the level of macro-regions of the Russian Federation (Federal districts). It is revealed that a fall in the level of investments expenditures coming from regional budgets in the territory of the Siberian Federal district (in 2012–2017), was one of the worst among the Federal districts. One of the reasons for this situation is an objective need for increased current expenditures for solving urgent social problems compared to regions with more favorable spatial, geographical and settlement characteristics. Based on the analysis of the current methodology of budget equalization, the author concludes that it is necessary to adjust the existing and develop new quantitative coefficients reflecting additional characteristics of spatial features of the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation