Armenia Allocates $72 Million Aid for Forcibly Displaced Armenians from Artsakh
Armenia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan, reported that approximately 29 billion drams ($72 million) from the state budget have been designated for programs aiding citizens forcibly displaced from Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). This statement was made during the annual press conference held on January 10, highlighting the support initiatives for those forcibly displaced from Artsakh since September 2023.
"After the displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh, our priority was to address immediate needs and provide shelters. Subsequently, we outlined government-supported programs based on three principles: short-term, medium-term, and long-term," mentioned Narek Mkrtchyan.
For short-term aid, each family member displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh received 100,000 drams ($250), followed by 40,000 drams ($100) per person for living expenses, an additional 10,000 drams ($25) for utilities, and 50,000 drams ($125) for consumer expenses in November and December," explained Narek Mkrtchyan.
Detailing the support provided, the minister shared that 112,000 people received $250 each, 104,027 people received $100 plus $25 in October, followed by 77,536 people in November, and 82,266 people in December. Furthermore, 69,420 individuals received $125 in November, and 74,430 in December. Altogether, about $72 million were allocated from the state budget for these programs, with an additional 1.5 billion drams ($3.7 million) contributed by supporting donors.
"To ensure effective use of resources, we initiated an electronic platform, making all these services and social support programs accessible to everyone. We also developed information systems using various databases, consolidating data and facilitating all payments," explained the minister.
Regarding the concern that around 1000 displaced citizens haven't yet received the one-time support of $250 provided by the state, the minister stressed the importance of verifying the credibility of data provided by these beneficiaries. He assured that final verification of data will be completed in the coming weeks, after which the relevant amounts will be disbursed to the beneficiaries.
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