Acting Minister: In 2018, 774.4 mln AMD were sent to solve priority  tasks of the Shirak and Lori regions of Armenia

ArmInfo. In 2018, 774.4 million drams were sent to solve the priority tasks of the Shirak and Lori regions of Armenia, which were the most affected by the  catastrophic earthquake of 1988. This was announced on December 7 at  an extraordinary retreat of the government of the Republic of Armenia  in the city of Gyumri by Acting Minister of Territorial  Administration and Development of the Republic of Armenia Suren  Papikyan.

According to him, of this amount, Shirak region received 354.9  million drams, and Lori region - 419.5 million drams. The funds were  directed to the implementation of 54 programs in 45 communities in  two regions. Under the same program, 42.9 million drams were  additionally allocated to the communities of Shirak and Lori regions,  of which Shirak region received 31.8 million drams and Lori - 11.2  million drams.  This year, 33 subvention programs for a total amount  of 1.6 billion drams were approved for the two regions. As a result  of competitions for 27 programs, the cost of these programs amounted  to 903.8 million drams, of which the amount of state funding was  equal to 381.3 million drams.

The Acting Minister also informed that the Ministry of Transport,  Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of  Armenia provided 222.7 million drams for repairing 4 roads in Shirak  and Lori regions. Work on the modernization of roads will continue in  2019. At the expense of the Territory Development Fund in the Shirak  and Lori regions, 7 programs are being implemented, of which 2 will  be completed next year. The total cost of this project is 1.9 billion  drams, of which 1.2 billion drams will be sent to the Shirak region,  and 732 million drams to the Lori region.

Suren Papikyan also reported that a grant in the amount of 1.082  billion drams was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction  and Development to restore the roads of the city of Gyumri. With the  assistance of USAID, the communities of Amasia, Arpi, Sarapat and  Ashotsk of the Shirak region allocated 1.486 billion drams for which  road-building and agricultural equipment was purchased. As a result  of cooperation with the EU, pilot projects are being implemented in  both areas. In particular, 750 thousand euros were allocated for the  creation of the Microsoft Innovation Center in the Shirak region,  549.8 thousand euros for the implementation of the Man in Need  program in the Amasia community. Projects in the field of renewable  and alternative energy are also being implemented. Thus, a 1 MW solar  power station was built and commissioned.