The Armenian government recently approved a new program to spur mortgage lending in the country which will help hundreds and possibly thousands of young families buy apartments. Speaking at a weekly meeting of his cabinet, Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said young families will be able to apply for the assistance already in the first quarter of this year. He said success in the first phase will expand the scheme to cover thousands of families. Officials said the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) will provide three billion drams ($8 of financial assistance for the first phase of the program which will benefit 300 young couples lacking adequate housing.