2019-2020, State Pensions Will Increase by GEL 20 Per Year

“The pension will rise by GEL 20 per year in 2019-2020, " said PM-designate Mamuka Bakhtadze at an extraordinary session of parliament on Wednesday. Monthly pension amounts are proposed to increase by GEL 20 in 2019, and again by GEL 20 in 2020, marking a total GEL 40 increase. 

Bakhtadze announced several potential new policies, including the pension increases, saying, "The government will continue targeted social programs to alleviate the material situation of vulnerable groups. Programs to improve the physical and social conditions of disabled and elderly people and careless children will be enhanced. Within the frameworks of these efforts, the increase of state pensions is planned in 2019-2020 by GEL 20 per year, for this purpose, we have considered an additional 400 million GEL in the medium-term budget."

Currently, the state pension in Georgia is 180 GEL a month after a pension reform in 2016, which represented a total 65% increase from 2012. In 2016, Georgia had 33,000 more retired people than in 2012. The pension is available to women aged 60 and older and men aged over 65.

By Samantha Guthrie

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