Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today attended the opening of a regional center for integrated social services in Sevan. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan told the Prime Minister that as a local entity that makes part of the national system of integrated social services, the center will attend to nearly 40 thousand residents of 14 communities in Gegharkunik Marz of Armenia.

The Premier walked through the center to get acquainted with the services provided. The center offers 4 types of social services through the local office of social security services, the local employment center, the medical-social expert commission and the territorial social assistance agency.

The new office will provide integrated social services on the one-stop shop principle. Note that all services used to be provided by standalone offices operating under various departments at different addresses. A total of about 19 employees will be working there. The number of beneficiaries is about 13 thousand people.

The Prime Minister next inspected the reconstruction of the road connecting the city of Sevan with the highway. The responsible officials pointed out that the road was last repaired in the 1960s. Nikol Pashinyan stressed the importance of high-quality and timely implementation of the planned activities.

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Located at Nairian 164 in Sevan, the administrative building extends on a total area of about 655 square meters. The center’s site is located in downtown Sevan. There are residential buildings and public facilities nearby. The road to the center is asphalted. The project’s total cost is around AMD 67 million.

9 offices of integrated social services will be inaugurated nationwide in 2020, including Stepanavan, Meghri, Sevan, Martuni, Goris, Aparan, Gavar, Dilijan and Ijevan. 49 such offices will be set up throughout Armenia: 7 in Yerevan, 42 - in the provinces.

14 centers are being built at this point of time: tenders are out for 3 centers, design work is underway for 4 facilities. Sites are being identified for 5 centers. 23 centers have already been built and put into operation.

In 2021, integrated social service centers will be built in Jermuk, Berd, Kapan, Artik, Yeghegnadzor, Ashtarak, Abovyan, Vagharshapat, Sisian, Vayk, as well as in the administrative districts of Nor-Nork, Arabkir, Erebuni and Kanaker-Zeytun in Yerevan.