Azerbaijan to start social rehabilitation program from May

The Ministry Officer for Poverty and Social Assistance Policy Natig Gasimov told APA-Economics that the program is aimed at gradual elimination of poverty. He said five pilot regions- Guba, Ismailli, Sheki and Baku's Nizami and Sabail- have been selected or implementation of the program.

The program includes 12 projects highlighting medical rehabilitation, employment, assistance to small businesses, rural development, targeted financial support for socially disadvantaged families, training courses for secondary school students etc.

After pilot projects are carried out, the draft program will be sent to the Cabinet of Ministers.

The mechanism to implement the World Bank and EU Tacis-funded program will be complete on April 25.

The ministry has developed a large data base about all families applied for targeted social assistance benefits which are granted to socially vulnerable people. The program will also improve the social safety net and targeting of the social assistance benefits.