Assistance programs for socially vulnerable people launched in  Kotayk, Syunik

ArmInfo. In a week, two programs aimed at supporting low-income and extremely low-income citizens will be launched in the Kotayk and Syunik regions of Armenia. This was announced on July 29 at a press conference in Yerevan by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia Ruben Sargsyan.

The deputy minister explained that the program will be aimed in  particular at unemployed youth, women aged 35 to 40, and able-bodied  citizens who, according to the results of the new assessment system,  are considered low-income. The programs will facilitate the  integration of this part of the population into the labor market, and  recruitment will be carried out through digital systems.

Presenting the first program, Sargsyan said that it will consist of  three components: training, gaining work experience, and partial  compensation of wages. At the same time, according to the deputy  minister, the choice of the component will be made by the employer  based on the results of the interview. "If he chooses that the  beneficiary needs to undergo training, the state will pay for 5  months of training, and also cover the employer's expenses for  providing this training up to 250,000 drams, after which the employer  will have to conclude an employment contract for at least 6 months,"  Sargsyan explained. 

At the same time, as the deputy minister continued, the state will  have to cover tax liabilities in the amount of 50,000 drams for 6  months. "And if the employer believes that the beneficiary of the  program only needs practice, then from the very first day an  employment contract is signed between them for a period of 6 months,  during which the state pays the employer's salary and taxes in the  amount of 165,000 drams for the first three months, and tax  liabilities up to 50,000 drams for the next three months," Sargsyan  emphasized, adding that according to their calculations, up to 400  people can be beneficiaries of the first program.

Touching upon the second program, aimed at helping extremely  low-income families, the deputy minister said that, unlike the first,  in this case, paid public work is offered, which has certain industry  areas. For example, repair work that does not require special  professional skills, the service sector, forestry, tourism,  education, and so on. "Under this program, beneficiaries will already  receive daily wages, 3,500 drams per day," Sargsyan noted.

Touching upon the amount of payment, he explained that it was  determined taking into account that along with it, the state will  also provide additional financial support. "Thus, we help people not  to depend entirely on benefits, but by combining them with salaries,  gradually becoming independent," the official explained.

According to Sargsyan, the second program is intended, according to  their estimates, for 350 beneficiaries.  "But if demand increases,  the number of quotas will also be increased," added the Deputy  Minister of Social Affairs.

He also noted that if a beneficiary refuses all offers under these  two programs, this gives them a reason to believe that he has income  that he did not report. In this case, the provision of benefits does  not continue.  However, he assured that in both cases, the desire and  choice of the beneficiary are taken into account.

Sarkisyan added that after completing the program, beneficiaries will  not be deprived of benefits immediately. As the Deputy Minister  explained, assistance will continue, but in the process, income will  be re-evaluated, and over time it will be reduced. "That is, this  will happen in stages, because it is clear that even having found a  job, a person cannot immediately cope with all the problems,"  Sargsyan summarized.