Features of digital transformation of rural municipalities: a constitutional and legal study

The study of the features of the legal regulation of the institute of local self–government in the context of the active introduction and development of digital technologies is not just an urgent research topic, but a state-required task facing modern scientists for the qualitative implementation of the stated state policy. Given that Russia is a historically agrarian state, one of the tasks is to find optimal ways of digitalization in rural municipalities. We suggest examining the successes achieved in this matter, as well as identifying the risks that, in our opinion, may make the realization of this ambition questionable. In modern legal science, a position has been formed according to which the terms "digitalization" and "digital transformation" are not identical. Digitalization is distinguished by the fact that it is a process of introducing and using existing and new technologies. If we talk about "digital transformation", the main distinguishing feature is that it covers a wider range of changes related to the use of digital technologies, since it focuses on a comprehensive, strategic transformation of processes in order to adapt to changing conditions and use digital opportunities to create new values and achieve competitive advantage. In the course of the research, the correlation of similar but not identical concepts in the field of digital transformation was carried out and the categorical and conceptual apparatus was built. Reasoned conclusions on the organizational and technological readiness of municipalities in the Russian Federation for digitalization are presented, the causes are identified and criteria for determining and overcoming the digital inequality of municipalities are proposed. The reasons for the independent study of the digital transformation of rural settlements are highlighted. The main trends, as well as objective and subjective potential problems hindering the introduction of digital technologies into the activities of municipal authorities in the Russian Federation, which must be taken into account in regulatory design at the municipal level, are shown. A set of conclusions and proposals on strategic planning of digitalization and digital transformation processes at the municipal level is presented, taking into account the peculiarities of rural development, which are seen in the adoption of an independent concept of "Smart Village". A proposal has been formulated aimed at preparing a special strategic planning program document that ensures the digitalization of the economy and management, which will set out the justified stages of implementing the digital municipal agriculture management platform. The main blocks of the specified document are highlighted.