$56.1 million for Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation

With a total allocation of $56.1 million granted to the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, it will now be able to create a social safety net for the disadvantaged populace while at the same time advocating self-sufficiency through the provision of livelihood training and income generating projects.

The Poverty Benefit Scheme has been allocated a sum of $23.2 million to assist destitute families which also includes an additional budget of $1.2 million to cater for 1,000 additional recipients.

A budget of $14 million has been allocated to the Social Pension Scheme to cater for the increase in recipient numbers due to the reduction in the eligibility age to 66 years which will be effective from the 1st of next month.

This programme will establish a social safety net for people above the age of 66 years by providing a $50 monthly allowance.

An allocation of $0.15 million has been granted to the Fire Victim Relief Assistance which will provide immediate relief for Fijians who lose their homes in a fire.

Meanwhile, $1.6 million has been allocated for the Initiatives for the Disabled to provide office space for disabled organizations, a bus for disabled persons in the West and salary for 8 teachers in Vocational Training Centers. 

$3.5 million has been allocated to the Child Protection Allowance programme to assist the disadvantaged children under kinship care and children under the care of Residential Homes.

The Child Protection Programme received an allocation of $1 million to focus on innovative child welfare systems.