Towards Implementing Indicative Planning Methods in the Management of the Russian Economy

In the modern world, mixed forms of economic development planning – where economic coordination mechanisms incorporate elements of both market self-regulation and state regulation – are increasingly common. Indicative planning, which relies heavily on state programs for socio-economic development, is one such transitional form. In the Russian Federation, the entire system of state programs is geared toward achieving national goals, and a unified plan for their attainment has been approved. To establish a management and monitoring system for this unified plan, integrate it into the public administration framework, and facilitate decision-making based on monitoring results, the Government of the Russian Federation issued Decree No. 761 on June 19, 2026. This decree approved the Regulation on the management system for the unified plan to achieve the Russian Federation’s national development goals, as well as the plan’s functional management structure. The document introduces several fundamental innovations to the domestic socio-economic development planning system – discussed in this article – including: defining the unified plan’s management structure with clearly delineated functions, powers, and responsibilities for all participants; managing the plan (formation, maintenance, updating, and monitoring) in a digital format, including through the use of artificial intelligence; establishing procedures for managing operational and strategic risks, as well as incidents and issues regarding target achievement identified during implementation; assessing the plan’s implementation effectiveness; and fostering extensive inter-agency and cross-sectoral collaboration among participants, including state corporations, development institutions, and expert or other organizations. The article concludes that this mechanism for implementing the unified plan can be viewed as an element of indicative planning for the Russian economy at both federal and regional levels. 

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