BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 20. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will be provided with proposals for further social reforms in accordance with the instructions given at a meeting on the results of the first half of 2022, the country's Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Sahil Babayev told reporters, Trend reports.
The minister noted a significant increase in social payment volume over recent years.
Meanwhile, three packages of social reforms, covering four million citizens, have been implemented in Azerbaijan over the past three and a half years. As many as six billion manat ($3.5 billion), or more than 20 percent of the state budget, has been allocated for that purpose, Babayev stated.
According to him, the minimum salary in Azerbaijan increased by 2.3 times, while the salary fund – by 2.2 times. An additional eight billion manat ($4.7 billion) was allocated to the salary fund during this period.
The minister also outlined the growth of social benefits and pensions by 3.5 times, whereas the minimum pension rose by 2.2 times, and the average monthly pension – by 75 percent.
"Funds allocated annually for benefits and pensions have grown from 400 million ($235.5 million) to 1 billion manat ($588.8 million) compared to 2018, reaching 1.4 billion manat ($824.3 million)," Babayev said.