Tools to Overcome Internal Socio-Economic Inequality

Introduction. Dynamic economic growth and improvement of the quality of life of the population throughout the country are the priorities of the state policies in modern Russia. Differences in natural and climatic conditions, sectoral specialization of the economy, and infrastructural constraints have caused the differentiation of interregional and intraregional socio-economic development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and municipalities. The current measures of state regulation and support for the regions do not provide for overcoming inequality. Based on the results of the research conducted, the article formulates proposals on substantiation of tools that take into account the features of territories and the ways of their self-development. Materials and Methods. The research on inequality of municipalities was conducted on the basis of data from the territorial body of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Republic of Mordovia, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Mordovia, as well as from reports and strategic documents of municipalities. The empirical material was processed using the methods of comparison and grouping. The level of inequality of municipal territories was identified, which made it possible to substantiate the main directions and tools for their development. Results. An assessment of the socio-economic state of the municipal districts of the Republic of Mordovia has been carried out and the level of their differentiation has been revealed with the calculation of variation indicators; the administrative and territorial units have been grouped according to the demographic situation, the differences between them and the possibilities of self-development of each of the selected groups have been analyzed. Discussion and Conclusion. The tools to overcome inequality have been identified, taking into account the features of the municipalities, which require adjustments to municipal strategies for socio-economic development until 2025 and formulation of a concept for the spatial development of the Republic of Mordovia. Recommendations for activating some of the existing tools and developing new ones have been put forward. The results obtained can be used by local governments when updating the priorities for the development of territories and the applied tools of the economic mechanism of strategic management.