No rise in pensions and benefits in 2017- minister says
02.11.2016,
15:25
Armenia’s draft state budget for 2017 does not provide for a rise in pensions and social benefits, labor and social affairs minister Artem Asatryan said today during a parliamentary debate on the next year’s draft budget convened by several parliamentary committees.
YEREVAN, November 2. /ARKA/. Armenia’s draft state budget for 2017 does not provide for a rise in pensions and social benefits, labor and social affairs minister Artem Asatryan said today during a parliamentary debate on the next year’s draft budget convened by several parliamentary committees. He said about 30.1% of the state budget spending, or 409 billion drams (7.6% of the projected GDP) are earmarked for social sector.
According to him, the bulk of the money -248.4 billion drams- will be paid as pensions (the average pension size will exceed 42,000 drams) and 79 billion drams will be paid as benefits to 225,300 beneficiaries.
‘Despite no planned rise in pensions and social benefits in 2017 because of the lack of additional income, the social sector remains a priority for the government,’ Asatryan said.
"Pensions should be raised always, but sometimes we do not have sufficient resources. Despite this, I believe that all the measures planned for next year by the government should lead to a facilitation of the social burden for the population,", - Asatryan said.
These measures, he said are the expected decline in gas and electricity tariffs for socially vulnerable layers of the population, greenhouse farms and processing plants, which is also meant to address social issues, as it will create new jobs in rural areas.
At the same time, the minister noted that the 1000 dram increase in family benefits enforced earlier this year will be preserved in 2017 as well and the government has earmarked additionally 1.1 billion drams for that. ($ 1 - 475.36 drams). -- 0-
According to him, the bulk of the money -248.4 billion drams- will be paid as pensions (the average pension size will exceed 42,000 drams) and 79 billion drams will be paid as benefits to 225,300 beneficiaries.
‘Despite no planned rise in pensions and social benefits in 2017 because of the lack of additional income, the social sector remains a priority for the government,’ Asatryan said.
"Pensions should be raised always, but sometimes we do not have sufficient resources. Despite this, I believe that all the measures planned for next year by the government should lead to a facilitation of the social burden for the population,", - Asatryan said.
These measures, he said are the expected decline in gas and electricity tariffs for socially vulnerable layers of the population, greenhouse farms and processing plants, which is also meant to address social issues, as it will create new jobs in rural areas.
At the same time, the minister noted that the 1000 dram increase in family benefits enforced earlier this year will be preserved in 2017 as well and the government has earmarked additionally 1.1 billion drams for that. ($ 1 - 475.36 drams). -- 0-
