Donetsk, Mar 10 - DAN. The payment of pensions and welfare benefits has been launched in the liberated villages of Granitnoye and Staroignatyevka of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the DPR Labor and Social Policy Ministry told the Donetsk News Agency on Thursday.

“Pensions were delivered to Granitnoye on March 7;  the payment of pensions and welfare benefits is underway in Granitnoye and Staroignatyevka,” the Ministry said.

The authorities are exploring the opportunities to arrange welfare payments in other liberated settlements.

According to the Interdepartmental Operations Headquarters, residents of liberated areas have submitted more than 1,300 applications for benefits to the Labor and Social Policy Ministry: 952 applications in the Telmanovsky district, 258 in the Starobeshevsky district and 150 in the Novoazovsky district.

Granitnoye is located ten kilometers northwest of Telmanovo; Staroignatyevka is 22 kilometers away. Both settlements were liberated in the course of the joint military operation of DPR and Russian forces. DPR Head Denis Pushilin visited Granitnoye promising its residents to provide welfare benefits and help rebuild peaceful life.*jk