YEREVAN.- The Armenian government resolved on Thursday to allocate 184 million drams ($491,297 US) to Armenian-Russian ArmRusGazprom gas company for the latter’s supply of low-priced (100 drams; 27 cents US/m3) gas to Armenia’s socially disadvantaged families in April-June of this year.

On April 1, 2011, it was decided that gas would be supplied to the population for 132 drams (35 cents)/m3. The government, however, resolved to set—between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012 and for using up to 300m3 of gas—a discount price for the socially disadvantaged class of society.

According to Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs now must present the list of those families that need social assistance. This program will encompass 1 billion drams ($2,670,094).       

The money will be allocated to ArmRusGazprom not from the budget, but  from the profits of state-run enterprises of the energy sector.