YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The Millennium Challenge Program envisages allocating 236 mln USD to Armenia in order to develop infrastructures and reduce poverty in rural settlements. 67 mln USD of the indicated sum will be spent on reconstruction of roads of the total length of 943 km, includig republican roads of 321 km and local ones of 622 km. Ara Hovespian, General Executive Director of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) - Armenia organization, stated this at a duscussion on February 23. According to him, 261 villages will become beneficiaries of the program on rural road reconstruction. All in all, 75% of Armenian rural communities will be the program beneficiaries. Head of the community road reconstruction program Hakob Petrosian noted that repairs of roads will allow to reduce the self cost of agriculatural produce and increase incomes of the rural population. In the words of Tigran Kalantarian, head of the program on development of the irrigation system, it is envisaged to construct 18 dripping irrigation systems, repair 58 pumping stations, 7 reservoirs, as well as drainage systems on 24 thousand ha. "The main outcome we expect from the program's implementation in 5 years is 6% poverty reduction in rural communities," A. Hovsepian stated.

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