Review of 65,000 social assistance cases could save GEL 75 million this year, PM Kobakhidze

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said that the government plans to review the data of approximately 65,000 households receiving social assistance by the end of the year, with projected budget savings of around GEL 75 million.

Speaking in Parliament, Kobakhidze was responding to a question regarding the financial impact of the government's reassessment of social welfare beneficiaries.

“If we follow the current trend, savings will likely amount to GEL 75 million by the end of the year. However, the process will continue beyond that,” the prime minister said.

According to Kobakhidze, the current review focuses on households selected based on specific criteria, but the government ultimately intends to extend the verification process to all beneficiary households through a phased approach.

“Families have now been selected according to certain criteria. After that, the verification process should cover all households, and this will continue gradually. The expected savings by the end of the year will be approximately GEL 75 million,” he stated.

During the parliamentary session, the prime minister also addressed housing support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), noting that a total of 45,000 displaced families have been provided with housing solutions since 2012.