Friday, March 22 2019 12:20

ArmInfo. The expenses of the Yerevan budget in 2019 have been increased by 10 billion drams, due to the planned large-scale work in Yerevan. This was stated by  Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan.

According to the press service of the mayor's administration, 8  billion drams will be  allocated to the implementation of a number of  major programs, most of which have not been implemented before, or  have been implemented in part. These programs, as the city  administration notes, are extremely relevant for Yerevan. "Thus, we  will spend 10 billion drams more in 2019 than in 2018 to cover the  needs of the capital," said Marutyan.

At the same time, he said, an increase in the expenditure  part of  the budget would not be associated with the risk of an increase in  the deficit of the capital's budget. As of February of this year, as  Marutyan noted, the plan of tax collection was exceeded by  approximately 20%.

In particular, the financing of kindergartens will increase  significantly: about 1 billion drams will be allocated for a 20%  increase in wages of workers, 400 million drams will be spent on  opening 1 thousand jobs in kindergartens.

The second major expenditure item will be directed to the repair of  urban roads and subways. Full repair and city lighting will cost 500  million drams instead of last year's 0 drams. About 190 million drams  will be allocated for the restoration of facades of buildings of  historical and architectural importance.  340 million drams will be  allocated to create a recreation area and city parks. The specified  amount of 110 million drams will be allocated for the restoration of  110 hectares of forest cover, 150 million drams - for the irrigation  network (against last year's 20 million drams).

This year the city administration also plans to begin work on the  development of a new general plan for Yerevan. The document will  allow an inventory of the entire land and property fund.

Another 170 million drams will be allocated from the capital budget  for budgeting for various types of construction work. Among them,  drawing up estimates for the construction of a new metro station,  cable car. "Despite the fact that the construction itself will be  financed by investors, the capital budget is ready to undertake  design work with the opportunity to transfer it to the private sector  in the future," the report said.  The city administration promises to  address such a problematic issue for citizens as the condition of  elevators in apartment buildings. Despite the fact that in the  approved city budget for the 2019th year, the elevator maintenance  budget has been reduced, in the revised version it is planned to  increase costs. That is, if earlier, 108 million drams were allocated  for parts and related works, today the real expenditure is revised to  30 million drams. "As a result, we have a reduced budget, but not at  the expense of the works, which will be increased in 3-fold volume.  They will be based on new criteria for their operation and safety,"  said Hayk Marutyan.  As for emergency buildings of 3 degrees, it is  planned to allocate about 105 million drams for their strengthening.  For buildings with the 4th degree of accident rate, the mayor's  office offers a separate investment program. Before the construction  of a new landfill site in Nubarashen, the mayor's office plans to  cordon off the territory for 40 million drams.  150 million drams  will be allocated for the purchase of new medical equipment, repair  work in the health sector. Approximately 200 million drams will make  a budget for the disposal of stray dogs, the construction of a  shelter and a clinic for them.  157 million drams will be allocated  from community budgets for overhauling theaters. The same amount will  be allocated for the repair of sports schools. At the same time,  spending on cultural events has been reduced by 125 million. The  capital budget for 2019 has already been finalized and will soon be  presented to  the Council of Elders of the Armenian capital.