More than 78,000 senior citizens, persons and children living with disabilities are expected to benefit from the various social welfare programs next year.
During her 2015 Budget Speech, Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Rosy Sofia Akbar said the government has allocated $160 million for Poverty Alleviation programs out of which $44.8 million has been allocated to the Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.
She said they are seriously examining all their policies and programs and especially those that impact women, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Akbar said the Government will reform the Social Pension Scheme to reduce the age eligibility from 70 to 68 years from July 2015 and increase the allowance from $30 to $50 a month.
She highlighted that 33,000 senior citizens will benefit from this.
Akbar said the Child Protection Allowance allocation of $2 million provides for the care and support of children of single mothers, prisoners, those cared for by family members and children in Residential Homes.
She said this caters for children living with disabilities and the funding allows 2,243 children to benefit from the program adding that they expect the number to increase as awareness spreads about the assistance.
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