Government’s Support to the Residents of Mountainous Regions

The Government of Georgia is planning to expand the list of Georgia’s high mountainous settlements and increase the number of beneficiaries of the Mountain Law. The given issue was discussed at a meeting of the National Council for Mountain Development chaired by Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at the Administration of the Government on November 26.

According to the Press Office of the Prime Minister, a working group will be created to reevaluate the criteria for the status of a mountainous settlement. It will also produce an action plan for the further expansion of the scope of the law’s applicability.

Establishment of the Department of Sustainable Mountain Development at the Technical University of Georgia was also declared at the meeting.

So-called ‘Mountain Weeks’ are to be organized, which will play a major role for the development and promotion of the mountainous regions of Georgia and mountain tourism.

PM Bakhtadze focused on the importance of the needs of the mountainous population. ‘Mountain Weeks’ could serve as an effective way to eradicate particular problems of this population.

Since the launch of the Mountain Law, 1,730 settlements have been granted the status of a mountainous settlement, with 243,000 beneficiaries.

66 million GEL in financial aid together with additional assistance were allocated in the mountainous regions of Georgia in 2017.

The primary reason for such a large scale Mountain Law is the desire of the government to encourage residents to remain or go back to their mountainous regions in order to support and develop those regions.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya                             

Image source: Agenda.ge