Thursday, 29 December 2011
All Welfare Payments Increased
The Cabinet met in their last sitting of 2011, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
Pursuant to amended government decree, base pension rate will be up about 24% as of January 1, 2012, from AMD 10,500 to AMD 13 thousand. The average retirement pension will be 31,300 dram instead of 28, 700 (9 percent growth), welfare pensions will average 16, 500 instead of 13, 200 dram (about 20 percent growth), the average rate of disability pensions for rank-and-file servicemen will rise to about AMD 20, 900 instead of 17,800(about 22% increase), the pension available to the families of killed rank-and-file servicemen will stand at 19,500 dram instead of currently applicable AMD 15,800 (about 25% increase).
The next decision bore on the breakdown of nationwide per-welfare service treasury allocations for family allowances and lump-sum benefits. The meeting went on to approve the guidelines for assignment and settlement of lump-sum benefits, childbirth bonuses, child allowances provided for children under the age of 2 years.
The government decided that next year’s welfare package will be limited to AMD 132 thousand for one person coveting health insurance, monthly mortgage repayment and tuition fees. A single system of social guarantees shall be introduced for all state employees, as well as for administrative and expert staffs of eligible State non-commercial organizations.
Another decision was passed, applicable as of January 1, 2012 to define a procedure to follow in welfare package-related decision-making. Noting that some 120 thousand people will be benefiting from the package, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan instructed to launch a nationwide media coverage campaign in order to highlight its details and benefits.
The government decided to provide housing to the family of Hovsepyans from Gyumri town whose welfare status was deteriorated following the demise of parents.
In an effort to tackle the housing bottlenecks faced by hostel dwellers, the State Committee on Immovable Property Cadastre by the Government was allowed to donate 185.4 sq m residential premises at Moldovakan 70/1 to local households.
In a bid to increase the exports and reduce the level of overpayments, the Cabinet decided to increase by AMD 2,300mn the budget target of treasury contributions for VAT refunds.
Pleased with this year’s sharp rise in exports, the Prime Minister stressed the need for enhanced VAT refund allocations: “The target index was overrun by about 32 per cent leading to increased exports,” Tigran Sargsyan said in this connection.
The meeting decided to accord an army service delay to free-style wrestling team member Musa Murtazaliev until the fall call-up of 2013. Vanadzor resident Aghvan Arzumanyan from the RF Nations Friendship University was allowed an internship-long delay on army service up till the fall draft of 2012.
