The level of poverty in the country in 2006 fell down to 20,8%, Trend reports. Arif Valiyev, the Chairman of the State Statistics Committee, informed Trend that the category of population, whose monthly cost of living is 58 AZN per person, is below the level of poverty. According to him, the Milli Majlis approved the amount of the cost of living for 2007 at the rate of 64 AZN.
According to the results of the implementation of the first State Poverty Reduction Program, particularly as the results of 2005, the level of poverty in the country reduced down to 29%, while in 2004, 49% of the Azerbaijan population was considered in the poor category. The State Poverty Reduction and Stable Development Program (2006-2015) are expected to be approved .in the near time.