Today, the regular Cabinet meeting was held, chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.

By the decision of the government, 2,151,363.7 thousand AMD will be allocated from the state budget to the regional administrations of the Republic of Armenia for the purpose of co-financing subvention programs. As noted by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan, it is proposed to co-finance 23 programs of 17 communities. The Prime Minister presented details on the programs, their scope and process.

In order to improve the condition of roads and transport facilities in the Republic of Armenia, a decision was made to allocate 15.7 billion AMD. Nikol Pashinyan referred to the decision and listed these roads. In parallel with the renovation of existing roads, Nikol Pashinyan also attached importance to the construction of new roads and bridges. The Prime Minister emphasized that in this process, the qualitative indicator should be taken into account and in the future, more attention should be paid to the aesthetic component, with the logic of providing solutions that express the architectural traditions of the given area and region. Referring to the construction of a new 10.1 km long highway from the 15th kilometer of the Kapan-Tsav highway to Nrnadzor, which is planned to be completed this year, the Prime Minister noted: “This project has a nuance. Now a section of the road to Nrnadzor coincides with the former railway lines. And since we are planning to open regional communications, this is the practical stage of those works. In other words, in essence, this is the preparatory work necessary for the implementation of our “Crossroads of Peace” project, which is concrete. We are criticized a lot, they say that we constantly express readiness, but this is one of the practical steps. We are creating an alternative road for the settlement, but we are also freeing up the railway route, because the railway has no other option to pass, it can only pass through that section. Therefore, we are freeing up that section to make the construction of the railway possible.”

The Government has approved the Crop Support Program - 2025, due to the need to increase the self-sufficiency level of the country, increase the area sown with agricultural crops, and increase productivity. The program envisages compensating 50 percent of the costs of basic work, harvesting, and seed cost per hectare of grain crops for cultivation of up to 100 hectares. Compensation will be provided in the following amounts: for the cultivation of winter wheat, 80 thousand AMD per 1 ha of area, for the cultivation of spring grain crops, 70 thousand AMD per 1 ha of area, for corn, 85 thousand drams, for legumes, 100 thousand drams, for fodder crops, 110 thousand drams, for fodder beets, 80 thousand drams.

The Government has approved the measure to promote healthy lifestyle and alternative modes of transportation among the public. The purpose of the decision is to create a support mechanism to encourage students and employees of vocational education and training who consider cycling as a means of transportation and a hobby, to have the opportunity to purchase a bicycle with the necessary accessories at an affordable price and use it in everyday life. Thus, the opportunity created for each beneficiary within the framework of their own goals and preferences will also become a good basis for the formation of a public code of conduct, promoting both amateur cycling and making cycling a more actively used means of transportation. As noted by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan, the annual interest rate that will be subsidized is 16 percent, that is, the interest will be zeroed. Financial assistance will be provided to beneficiaries who may be employees or students of universities or vocational training institutions in the form of subsidizing interest rates on targeted loans from licensed banks or credit organizations operating in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. It is planned that the loan amount can be up to 300 thousand AMD, which, according to analysis, is quite sufficient to purchase a quality bicycle of various classes, as well as necessary accessories for a period of up to 36 months.