Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 February/ corr. Trend I. Khalilova, A. Ismayilova/ The Government of Azerbaijan plans to raise the food benefits for displaced persons in 2008, Ali Hasanov, the Deputy Prime Minister and the chairman of the State Committee for the Work with the Refugees and Displaced People said on 11 February. The amount of the benefit is currently AZN9 per head.
"Though it is a small figure, the total volume of funds allocated for these purposes is large," Hasanov said.
Some AZN67 mln was allocated from the State budget for food for the internally displaced persons in 2007. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the volume of the benefits to be allocated from the public budget in 2008 is being determined.
Currently studies are carried out to eliminate the discrimination between the refugees living in the regions and cities, as the benefit on food is primarily meant for those living in rural areas. However, the living standards of the displaced people living in the rural areas have advanced to that of the cities. The Government is trying to maintain a balance in this regard.
There are more than 800,000 displaced people in Azerbaijan. Since 200, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan has allocated $352,400,000 for the social and daily needs of the displaced people.
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