Size of monthly social benefit for low-income families to be increased by 2,000 drams in Armenia
“The low-income families included in the list received 30,350 drams, and now an average benefit will amount to 32,350 drams,” he said.
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, on his side, said that the government will allocate 105,000 drams to subsidize 105,000 families’ electricity consumption expenses. Extra annual subsidy for one family will amount 24,000 drams.
Abrahamyan said every Armenian family consumes 200 KWt power, on average, every month, and therefore additional burden for one family will be 1,400 drams per month.
On June 17 Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) formally raised the prices of electricity by over 16 percent, down from 40 percent rise sought by Armenia’s Russia-owned power distribution company - the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA). This means that the daytime electricity price for households will rise from 42 drams to almost 49 drams (10 U.S. cents) per kilowatt/hour. The households will pay almost 39 drams per kilowatt/hour during night hours.
This decision triggered public backlash in the country. In early morning on Tuesday, the police responded to the backlash by chasing away Armenian citizens who gathered in Baghramyan Avenue for protest. Some 240 protesters were taken to police stations and 25 were injured.
After that, the peaceful protest resumed with renewed vigor and demonstrators are in Baghramyan Avenue now. ($1 – AMD 472.56). ---0-----