According to the budget performance report 2021, the budget spent 87 million GEL on utility bill subsidy in January-February.
The utility bill subsidy program was launched in 2020 and the budget spent 328.9 million GEL last year.
Utility bill subsidy was implemented in two stages - the first of which was carried out last spring (March, April and May).
The government covered utility fees for households which consume less than 200 kWh of electricity and 200 cubic meters of natural gas per month as well as water and cleaning fees.
According to the report of the Ministry of Finance, the program was funded by the Health Ministry in spring 2020, while the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development allocated funds for subsidizing winter season in 2020-2021.
The utility tariff subsidy program is often criticized due to its low efficacy, as it has benefited a wide range of citizens regardless of how the COVID-19 economic crisis has affected them.
