YEREVAN. – The social protection expenditures, which are envisioned in Armenia’s draft 2013 State Budget, comprise 27 percent of total spending, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Artem Asatryan stated Wednesday at the National Assembly. 

To note, the planned social protection allocations for the coming year have reduced as compared with the current year and, as per Asatryan, this is due to the reduction in the amount provided for housing construction and the introduction of a new information database in the pension sector, as a result of which phony pensioners and beneficiaries are removed from the state funding programs.

The Labor and Social Affairs Minister added that the targeting and effectiveness of social spending have increased in Armenia between 2009 and 2012 and, in this sense, Armenia is one of the best in the region.

A total of 78 social security programs are being implemented in the country, and their main emphasis is placed on providing assistance to those who are below the poverty threshold. Specifically, 15,000 prosthetic and orthopedic accessories will be allocated to the physically challenged—and at no cost—and, according to the minister, this is not done in all countries.            

Photo by Sona Barseghyan/NEWS.am