News - About $70M allocated to programs for persons forcibly displaced from Karabakh to Armenia, minister says

In 2023, about 29 billion drams (about $70 million) were earmarked to the programs for the forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh. Narek Mkrtchyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, announced this at a press conference Wednesday. He emphasized that international donors allocated about 1.5 billion drams. According to him, 112,000 forcibly displaced Armenians received a one-time 100,000 drams each. The official added that more than 104,000 people received 50,000 drams (40,000+10,000 drams) each in October, 77,000 in November, and 82,000 in December to pay rent and public utility expenses. The minister noted that 69,000 people received 50,000 drams, each, for consumer expenses in November, and 74,000 in December. "Pensions or benefits for disability or loss of a breadwinner were paid to 11,700 people," Mkrtchyan noted, adding that there is an opportunity to apply for pensions or benefits until March 11. "Birth allowances were assigned to 135 people, maternity [allowances] to 55 [people], and child care [allowances] up to 2 years old to 165 people," the minister noted. And in connection with the birth of the third and every subsequent child, the families of those forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh will also be paid a monthly allowance of 50,000 drams until the child turns 6 years old.