The municipal authorities promise that the municipal almshouse for elderly people on Nicolae Milescu-Spataru Street will be built this year. According to interim mayor Veaceslav Iordan, the designing of the building draws to an end, while the construction works are soon to be launched. The given item was discussed at Tuesday’s sitting of the City Hall. Chairwoman of the Social Assistance Division Eugenia Ceban requested the local authorities to start constructing the almshouse as soon as possible to eradicate poverty and ensure social protection to the disadvantaged strata of population. According to the cited source, the Municipal Council allocated MDL 2 mln to start constructing, but the works have not begun yet. The investment in this project was estimated by local authorities at about MDL 50 mln. It is expected that the almshouse for elderly people will have a capacity to accommodate 200. According to data from the Social Assistance Division, five charitable canteens, which are serving 500 persons daily, operate in Chisinau at present. At the same time, over 700 citizens are eating in another 7 canteens that are financed by economic entities. In the first three months of this year, 50,000 free lunches were offered to 2288 persons. Also, 486 were provided with free launches at home. Eugenia Ceban has also informed that in 2007 the municipality organised 13 charitable dinners for 748 persons and distributed 644 food packages. Hairdressers and footwear repair workshops, where 1045 poor persons were served gratis in the first quarter, are operating in all the districts of municipality. In the same period, by means of Municipal Fund for social support of population, 1537 persons received humanitarian aid, while 544 pensioners and disabled people were supplied with tickets for treatment in “Speranta” and “Victoria” spas. At the same time, the local authorities ensured free treatment and denture for 60 persons, while 53 invalids received wheelchairs thanks to the support of the Republican Experimental Prosthesis, Orthopaedic and Recovery Centre. Another 470 ill persons were ensured with special orthopaedic equipment.