Thursday, 3 February 2011
Pension-lines to be ruled out
A cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
Reminding his previous directive concerning the streamlining of the process of pension payment, Prime Minister asked the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs what had been done to that end. Based on the comments of the Minister, the Prime Minister concluded that as from this March the pensioners will no longer have to stand in line while getting their pensions.
The government decided to defer until February 1, 2014 the payment of VAT for over AMD 300mn worth of goods imported by SPAYKA Ltd in the period between February 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013. Under the investment program, a 24ha wide greenhouse complex and a fruit and vegetable processing plant will be built in Armenia owing to which imports will be taken up to 70 thousand tons a year with 500 new jobs available at the plant.
Another decision was passed to extend until April 30, 2012 the temporary import regime for such goods as will be imported by VKS Armenia Ltd under specific declarations. The company currently employs 335 persons most of which are women. A new clothing factory will be set up in Amasia community of Shirak marz. In this connection, the Prime Minister stressed the need for giving wide public coverage to the foregoing decisions and charged the Minister of Economy to inform the public on a regular basis.
The government allocated AMD 10012000.0 thousand from its reserve fund to address the problems faced in the provinces. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said the decision had been passed based on a presidential directive aimed at raising rural population’s living standards.
The Executive approved a package of amendments to several previous decrees in order to streamline household vulnerability assessment and certification processes or establish alternative procedures to that effect. At the same time, it was decided that the household evaluation (registration) operations scheduled for the months of January and February, 2011 will be carried out on February 11 and March 11, 2011 respectively.
According to the Prime Minister, these measures seek to define the targets of the government’s social programs. The findings of the Control Chamber and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs evidence several irregularities available in the lists of beneficiaries. The government’s initiative will help save up additional funds to boost the level of welfare benefits.
The cabinet backed draft amendments to the code of administrative breaches and other laws which streamline legal relationship applicable to sit-ins, marches, rallies and other social functions. The head of the National Security Service came up with a number of proposals during the exchange of opinions that followed. Prioritizing the passage of this decision, the Prime Minister said it should be submitted to the National Assembly after finalization, account taken of the proposals made at the meeting.
The meeting passed decisions on some 30 agenda items altogether.
