David Lokyan: In 2017 5 billion AMD were allocated to solve urgent tasks in regions and 285 programs were implemented

ArmInfo. In 2017, work was carried out in the context of comparability and validity of expenditures of community budgets, approaches were identified for implementing program budgeting. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Development David Lokyan stated during a working meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on February 16. The Minister reported on the progress in the implementation of the instructions given by the Head of the Republic and the result of this work, on the reforms of the sphere and the existing problems, as well as on the plans for 2018.

In particular, according to the presidential press service, David Lokyan, reporting on the progress in fulfilling the instructions of the head of state, said that during the year the activities for 2018 aimed at ensuring the indicators set by the Strategy for the Development of the Regions for 2016-2025 were defined.  Work is planned in the context of ensuring the continuity of the process of integration of the country's communities, and a mechanism for providing the community's public response according to the principle "more for more" is defined. According to Lokyan, the agenda of the ministry includes the introduction of a system for accounting for community construction and agricultural land, a self-cost waste management system, as well as adjusting taxation in communities and road construction.

David Lokyan touched on the proportional development of regions and programs to stimulate economic growth. To date, he said, 9 pilot regional development programs worth about 11 million euros are being implemented jointly with the EU. Together with the UN, programs are implemented with a budget of over $ 5 million in the Tavush region of Armenia, as well as projects aimed at developing tourist infrastructures costing more than $ 3 million in 60 rural areas.

To solve urgent problems in the regions of Armenia, 5 billion drams were directed and 285 programs were realized, 1.465 billion drams were saved within this process. To finance the program "The Jermuk Community - the Pole of Regional Development" 1,190 billion drams were allocated and 6 subprograms were implemented. In 2018, AMD 3.4 billion is envisaged for the implementation of 12 programs.

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Development David Lokyan in October 2017 told reporters that today the taxpayer's funds in the amount of 50 billion drams are sent in the form of subsidies to the communities in order to equalize financial opportunities. In the meantime, municipalities are very inaccurate spending money and failing to meet budget revenues. "Only 30% of the municipalities of Armenia collect the garbage collection from the residents, which is unacceptable and, if the situation continues, they will be cut back by funding," he said, stressing that in the future the work with municipalities will be carried out on the principle of "more for more." "Who will collect more will receive more." Starting in 2018, budget discipline will be the number one task, "concluded David Lokyan, head of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia.