Friday, 27 October 2017
Ararat Marz Governor reports compliance with Premier’s assignments
Ararat Marz Governor Aramayis Grigoryan reported to Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan progress in the implementation of the assignments issued at the July 29 consultation, which was held in Ararat Marz.
Touching upon the farming sector’s indicators, Aramayis Grigoryan reported that as a result of the process of enlargement of farms and cultivated land, as of today, the number of farms running large plots of land /5ha and over/ is 313 against 280 in 2016. Underway is the construction of irrigation systems going to 8 communities from the Vedi reservoir, with about 110 people involved in the activities.
Work is going on with the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations offices to ensure continuity in the pilot project for providing 40 hectares of cultivated land with fish farms’ waste water in Hayanist community. Targeted State subsidy programs for the purchase of agricultural machinery were presented to local farmers. As a result, 10 units of agricultural machinery were purchased by the communities of Ayntap, Vanashen, Urtsadzor, Surenavan, Hovtashat, Azatavan in 2017. In order to boost agricultural development, private companies have been building 5,000 square meters of new greenhouses (tomato and cucumber) and intensive gardens of 3,500 square meters in a number of communities.
Speaking about investment programs, the Governor noted that a total of 72 billion drams have already been invested in the region under State-funded, donor-supported and private sector-implemented programs. The impact of the aforementioned investments will be visible by the end of this year, with 600-700 jobs to be created in the Marz.
Total investment was said about 60 billion drams up as compared to last year. The largest project is the Vedi Reservoir and Irrigation System Construction investment program, which will result in 4 hectares of gravity system-irrigated land, so that the local farmers will have no problems in this matter.
The Kaghtsrashen gravity system is being built to replace the mechanical irrigation system used in 12 communities that will meet the irrigation water demand and reduce the cost price of agricultural produce, resulting in 436 million drams in energy savings and AMD 24 million less pumping station operating costs. The new system will bring irrigation water to 1,300 hectares of land instead of the former 854 hectares.
According to the Prime Minister’s instruction, the Governor has done serious work to collect the communities’ own revenues. Note that Ararat Marz had undertaken to increase by 20 percent its share of own revenue in the State budget, but the growth proved 23.5% for the first 10 months of 2017. Aramayis Grigoryan noted that taking into account the pace at hand, the region will be able to overrun the revenue target by the end of this year.
Coming to waste management, Aramayis Grigoryan noted that only 19 large landfill sites are left instead of the former 260 sites in the Marz. Contracts have been signed with 2,000 of 3500 registered legal entities and work is to be continued in this direction.
While pointing to the positive progress, the Prime Minister nevertheless considered the results to be insufficient and suggested taking up the matter a short while later.
The Governor noted that in order to promote tourism in Ararat Marz, the State Tourism Committee will implement an investment program for building a panoramic-view platform and a visitor’s information center near Khor Virap monastery.
The 2017 annual program of activities provides for the presentation and promotion of marketing and tourism opportunities.
