Management of rural territories land resources in decentralization conditions

Abstract

Introduction. Under decentralization, there is a gradual transfer of powers and resources to local governments. In this case, one of the most urgent problem for rural areas, is the organization of rational land management from the position of financial support improving through the disposing of lands, and using available lands for community needs. Methods. General and special methods – monographic and abstract-logical, methods of generalization, comparison and analysis have been applied for data processing. Results. During the decentralization reform, it was found that 488 rural united territorial communities were formed, covering almost half the area of all UTCs created. In addition, nearly 800 village councils joint to the city-based UTCs. The ways of the redistribution of powers on the UTC land resources management are established at the expense of acquiring their own powers, obtaining delegated ones, as well as acquiring the rights of other institutions. Emphasis is placed on the benefits of managing land resources of rural communities at the local level. It has been determined that the applicable law restrict communal land use of UTC. At the same time, the importance of agricultural land outside the settlement transfer to the disposal of communities is emphasized. The importance of the land payment in the structure of local budget revenues is analyzed in detail, the key problems and contradictions that accompany the process of land management powers reallocation are identified. Suggestions are made to improve the rural communities land resources management through their inventory, accounting and monitoring, revision of rental rates for communal property, strengthening control over compliance with the terms of land use agreements, use of free lands in the interests of communities. Discussion. Further studies in this area are going to be aimed at developing a comprehensive mechanism for ensuring effective management of land resources in rural areas after the completion of decentralization. Keywords: land resources, rural territories, decentralization, united territorial communities, local governments.