The executive body proposes to carry out the payments of family and social benefits, as well as emergency funds, in a non-cash manner from January 1, 2023 in the cities and rural settlements with more than 1.000 inhabitants, and from 2024 – in the villages with up to 1.000 inhabitants.
The RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Davit Khachatryan noted that the adoption of the draft is due to the need to improve the payment process of the family and social benefits, as well as emergency funds, and to reduce the state budget expenditures, as well as to stop the possibility of withdrawing funds from the social electronic money account opened for special purpose for pensions, benefits and other amounts paid by the state. Exemptions for withdrawals related to social electronic money will be valid until February 1, 2023.
Pensions and other monetary payments to be paid in the manner of pension payments are exclusively paid in a non-cash manner from July 1, 2021. According to the Deputy Minister, it is advisable to introduce this system for family and social benefits, as well as emergency funds.
These amendments proposed to the Laws on State Benefits and State Pensions were debated at the NA sitting on November 15.
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Davit Khachatryan explained that the national operator can pay pensions and benefits in a non-cash manner until February 1, 2023.
The Deputy Minister referred to the MP Zaruhi Batoyan’s question about possible technical problems, in case of the implementation of the new regulations. According to him, the studies have shown that the villages with more than 1.000 inhabitants will not have such a problem from January 1.
In response to MP Gevorg Papoyan’s question, Davit Khachatryan provided information regarding the cashback program for pensioners and beneficiaries when making cashless transactions. According to him, positive dynamics have been recorded since the first month, according to the data of the end of October, cashless transactions with such cards reached about 1.8 billion. “We decided that we should extend the program for at least six months from 2023,” he said.
Gevorg Papoyan emphasized that, unfortunately, not all banks have joined the program, therefore not all pensioners take advantage of this opportunity. He highlighted the fact that the state pays 50% of the cashback, other 50% – the banks. According to the MP, this is the result of the joint work of the state and the banking system for the benefit of the citizens.
The Ardshinbank, ARMBUSINESSBANK, ACBA Bank and VTB Armenia Bank joined the program, which covers more than 60% of the field. Presenting the statistical data, the Deputy Minister noted that before the start of the program, 389.000 beneficiaries received cashless card payments. Today it exceeds 415.000. According to him, these numbers show the efficiency of the program. The corporate social responsibility of the banks which joined the program was evaluated.
Reference was made to the possibility of providing emergency aid during the Q&A.
The NA Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs gave a positive conclusion on the issue. MP Gayane Yeghiazaryan informed about this.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
