Azerbaijan's social protection spendings to reach $1.7bn in 2020
By Rasana Gasimova
The Azerbaijani government will spend 3 billion manats ($1.7 billion) for social protection of its citizens in 2020, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population Sahil Babayev has said.
“In 2019, President Ilham Aliyev signed a package of decrees aimed at social protection of 4.2 million citizens. In 2019, the financial burden of this package amounted to 2.3 billion manats ($1.3 billion), and in 2020 it will amount to 3 billion manats,” Babayev noted in his article published in local media.
Babayev emphasized that the Labor Ministry will continue the process of providing apartments and cars to the people disabled in the Karabakh war and the families of those who died while protecting the country's territorial integrity.
“Last year, 934 apartments and private houses were issued to the families of martyrs and to war veterans. In 2020, their number will reach 1,500. Until today, 7,500 apartments and private houses have been given to families of martyrs and to war veterans” he noted.
Babayev also noted that so far, 6,750 cars have been handed over to war veterans.
Earlier this month, Babayev noted that Azerbaijan’s State Social Protection Fund in 2019 ensured a refund of 320 million manats ($188 million) to the state budget.
Babayev added that these savings allowed allocating additional 190 million manats ($111.76 million) to implement social reforms in 2020.
He noted that reforms carried out in Azerbaijan have positive impact on the social services sector. Social security system automation, as well as the development and implementation of the DOST concept are real success indicators of the country’s state policy.
Last year, Agency for Sustainable and Operational Social Security (DOST Agency) was set up under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population in a bid to improve social security and protection of the population.
The main spheres of the agency's services include labor, employment, social security, appointment of pensions, social benefits, targeted social assistance, disability assessment, disability determination, banking services, lawyer consultation and insurance services.
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