Social Security Administration Committed Violations of Million Drams: Control Chamber
Last year Armenia’s Control Chamber conducted audits in territorial agencies allocating Social Service, connected to processes of allocation of family and social allowances, urgent monetary support and allowance for care of a child until the age of 2 provided by the state budget. Processes of appointing allowances by territorial agencies of Social Service of 8 (out of 38) territorial agencies leading “Npast” Information System by selective order have been studied: Hrazdan, Abovyan, Yeghvard and Charentsvan(Kotayk region), Ashtarak, Aparan, Talin, Tsaghkahovit (Aragatsotn region).
The Control Chamber has revealed a range of violations, on the whole, in 8 agencies under Kotayk and Aragatsotn regional administrations 571 cases have been recorded, by total amount of AMD 105 million 599.5 thousand. In its reports the Control Chamber states that in many cases information provided by RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and “Nork” Information Analytical Center to agencies with adjacent database hasn’t been properly and completely introduced and allocation of allowance wasn’t suspended, in certain cases the information was 2-3 times repeated, however, it wasn’t introduced into the system. The families often exceeded the defined quality of power consuming, however, in 740 cases properly grounded proposals by the Social Support Council.
As a result of checking of number of family members, housing conditions, correctness of residence, 98 violations have been revealed, in total—AMD 20 million 214 thousand. As a result of checking of single unemployed pensioners, 15 violations have been recorded, in total—AMD 1 million 890 thousand. Violations have been recorded in input of data to the system on counting by registration of families, in total—AMD 2 million 797 thousand. As a result of inspection of urgent allowances to the families, as well as persons registered in the “Family allowance” system, 56 violations have been recorded, in total—AMD 6.7 million.
The Control Chamber recorded 9 violations in authenticity and accuracy of existent applications for allowances to care of a child until the age of 2, in total comprising AMD 486 thousand.
It turned out, that in some cases information of the deceased family members was introduced with delay, 3-5 months later. In order not to be deprived of the allowance husbands don’t legalize their relations, or formally get divorced, continuing to live together, or don’t divorce—the husband doesn’t register in factual address.
Judging from the report, agencies repeatedly perform rather slipshod work, majority of cases are prepared with shortcomings, the system of applications filling order wasn’t maintained, or they lack at all, submitted documents are not complete or incorrectly filled in and etc. The Control Chamber came to the conclusion that activity of social support councils bears formal character.
As a result of inspections, allowances to certain families in Kotayk region have been eliminated, AMD 3 million 150 thousand of recorded violations has been returned to RA state budget, AMD 9.5 million was charged by support councils, and on the resting part chargeback will be implemented and results will be periodically published. Some allowances in Aragatsotn have been suspended as well: AMD 4 million was charged back to the state budget, some employees of agencies have undergone disciplinary penalties.
By Gayane Khachatryan
