Guria has been hit by a natural disaster for several days now. Due to snow, transportation is almost impossible, emergency and urgent care brigade calls are also complicated, and several villages are cut off from the outside world.
BMG got interested in the socio-economic situation in Guria.
According to the Social Service Agency, in January, 27,283 people were receiving subsistence allowance in Guria, of which more than 12 thousand are involved in the state employment program.
In 2022, an amandment came into force for social assistance beneficiaries who are between 18 years and retirement age, are not persons with disabilities, and do not have serious health problems. This change provides employment opportunities for beneficiaries, mainly in the public sector, with a salary of up to 300 GEL per month. The salary received in case of employment does not affect the amount of social assistance for the beneficiary. It should be noted that families and individuals participating in the employment program will be guaranteed to receive subsistence allowance for four years, as their social status will not be reviewed during this period.
Compared to December, the number of allowance recipients has increased by 160. According to Geostat, as of 2024, the population in Guria was over 102 thousand, meaning that about 26% of the population receives social assistance.
Geostat has not yet published last year's employment figures by regions, but as of 2023, approximately 40 thousand people were employed in Guria (both hired and self-employed). The unemployment rate in the region is 16%. As for the average monthly salary, in the region as of 2023, it is approximately 990 GEL (including taxes). This is slightly more than half of the country's average salary (as of 2023).
Like Guria, the regions of Adjara, Samegrelo, and Imereti were also affected by heavy snowfall.
