BAKU: With a 14 percent rise from the same time in 2019, Azerbaijan set aside 4.32 billion manat ($2.54 bln.) for pension payments in the first eight months of 2024, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan told Trend. According to the Ministry, pensions for the elderly averaged 525 manat ($308), while the average monthly pension amount across the country climbed by 13 percent to 491 manat ($288). Additionally, the last eight months have seen the granting of 27,000 more pensions. Since the introduction of digital pension applications in 2019, a total of 129,000 pensions have been processed through an electronic system. Source: Trend News Agency