Depressed Territories as Objects of Strategic Planning

The aim of the article is to identify and characterize the mechanism for managing depressed territories as specific objects of state strategic planning that have the potential to become drivers of regional policy. This study, based on the analysis of decisions containing measures for balanced territorial development at the federal, regional and local government levels, substantiates the need to include the “depressed territories” category in strategic planning documents for the implementation of targeted and effective state policy. The term “depressivity” is considered in relation to the concepts of “crisis”, “vulnerable”, “backward” and “problem” territory. It is emphasized that for depressed territories, the priority is to identify key factors and adequately build strategic development plans. The article presents the author’s methodology for identifying depressed territories as objects of strategic planning. Within the framework of this methodology, a grouping of key indicators is substantiated that allow ranking and forming a rating of regions as depressed territories of the country. The Pskov region is given as an example. An assessment is given of the measures taken in this region to improve the socio-economic situation. It has been established that these measures are fragmentary and disjointed. The situation can be improved by normative recognition of the Pskov region as a depressed territory and the use of a strategic planning system as a management mechanism specially adapted to the factors of depression. The article describes some strategic planning tools, the systematic application of which can contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the policy of recovery of depressed territories. An example is individual regional development programs.