YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The expenditures of the RA state budget amounted to 494.5bn drams in January-August 2009, including expenditures of 9.8bn drams at the expense of off-budget resources of state institutions. In particular, current expenditures made 443.8bn drams, nonfinancial assets-related activities - 50.8bn drams. According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Finance, budget expenditures increased by 5.4% or 25.4bn drams compared to the same months of 2008. The growth was mainly due to increased expenditures on pensions, benefits and salaries, as well as on the purchase of contractual services. The current expenditures amounted to 443.8bn drams in the reporting period, exceeding the respective index of last year by 8.2% or 33.8bn drams. 42.4bn drams out of current expenditures was allocated for the salaries of employees of the state institutions, and 3.1bn drams was allocated for compulsory social security payments, which made up 83.7% and 77.6% of the 9-month program. These expenditures grew by 17.5% and 19.9%, respectively on the same period of 2008. State budgetary allocations for the purchase of goods and services made 92.3bn drams, exceeding last year's index by 15.1% and ensuring the implementation of the nine-month program by 83.6%.

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