YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. One of the most important tasks of the 2008-2012 activity program of the Armenian government is reduction of the poverty indices, at best - overcoming of poverty. It is envisaged reducing the poverty index up to 11.2%, the extreme poverty index - to 1.6% in Armenia in 2012. In 2006, these indices made 26.5% and 4.1% respectively. The RA minister of labor and social issues Aghvan Vardanian said at the May 20 press conference that job creation is the first precondition for overcoming the poverty. According to him, with this aim the ministry has implemented and will continue to implement a number of program on active employment. A. Vardanian said that the activity program of the government also envisages increasing the average pension to the level of the minimum life support budget in 2012. "It presupposes considerable investment of state resources, it is envisaged to allocate 6.2% of GDP to the social protection sector," he stated. Speaking about the work to be done by the ministry in the coming years, A. Vardanian said that their activities will in particular aim to reduce the difference in the incomes of working people and pensioners, increase the access to social services and improve the sector's management. Besides, measures will be taken to reform the pension system and introduce a multi-stage pension system. A. Vardanian pointed out creation of equal and accessible conditions for the disabled and protection of children's rights as the most important directions of the ministry's activities.

---