YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2008 program on repairs of irrigation systems was approved at the April 4 sitting of the Armenian government. The chairman of the RA State Water Industry Committee Andranik Andreasian told reporters after the sitting that the program envisages allocating 1 bln 407 mln drams (about 4.5 mln USD) from the state budget for major repairs of the irrigation systems. According to him, it is for the first time that state budgetary resources are allocated not only to fill the gap of the system's current expenditures but also to relieve the burden of capital expenditures. A. Andreasian said that the program has two subcomponents: urgent work to be done prior to the irrigation season, and major work, including major repairs of pumping stations and main water-pipes. It was stated that the Millennium Challange Program on the irrigation systems will be implemented starting from next year. Studies and design research work is currently underway.

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