The Ministry of Finance has revealed that MVR 3.2 million has been issued as income support allowance for those who have had their livelihoods affected after changes to employment amid the Covid-19 crisis, thus far.

The reveal was made in a publication of the Covid-19 Weekly Spending Report, publicized by the ministry earlier this week.

As such, the report states that the total in Covid-19 economic response spending had reached MVR 303.2 million by June 18.

A total of MVR 3.2 million was issued as income support allowance and MVR 300 million was issued through the Covid-19 Recovery Loan Scheme.

The government has issued income support allowance for 816 individuals thus far, reveals the statistics.

Introduced under the government’s economic relief package following the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the income support allowance is being issued since May 20 and a monthly income of MVR 5,000 is provided under specific conditions.

According to the criteria, individuals who have been terminated, put on no-pay leave or suspended from their jobs are eligible for the allowance as well as anyone who was employed before March 1, whether they had an employment agreement or not. This includes individuals in probation and temporary positions, these individuals will receive an allowance of MVR 5,000 for the three-month period.

The three-month allowance, totaling MVR 15,000, will be awarded from April to June and aims to provide financial assistance to those who have had their lives and income affected by the pandemic and are unable to meet essential needs such as settling rent payments and others.

Eligible individuals are to receive the income support allowance monthly, before the 15th day and applicants must be aged between 18 and 65 years and employed in the Maldives by March 1.

The regulations under the income support allowance state that criminal action will be taken against individuals who provide false information when applying.

A number of individuals had submitted complaints at the Minister of Economic Development’s Job Center due to termination and mostly about being put on no-pay leave.

Under the Covid-19 Recovery Loan Scheme, the Bank of Maldives has disbursed MVR 306 million for a total of 244 and MVR 98.9 million had also been issued to 873 through SDFC in support of businesses.

As part of the support being extended for individuals and households, the government has also been providing discounts on utilities bills. As such, the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) has provided a discount of MVR 9.8 million on water bills for 33,198 households. MWSC is followed by FENAKA Corporation, which provided MVR 300,000 in discount for 12,661 households and STELCO which provided MVR 100,000 as discount for 558 households.

In addition, STELCO provided MVR 27.4 million as discount on electricity bills for 45,068 households, followed by MVR 22 million for 46,839 households from FENAKA and MVR 300,000 for 681 households from MWSC.

By June 18, the total spending towards Covid-19 health efforts stood at MVR 963.6 million, which is a 2.2 percent increase from the week before, out of which 54.7 percent was committed spending.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and Ministry of Health spent the most in terms of week-on-week spending.

As such, NDMA spent MVR 9.2 million in total, for Covid-19 health efforts out of which 75.7 percent was on operational services.

IGMH and the health ministry primarily spent on procuring medical consumables on which the expenses have increased by MVR 9.7 million compared to the previous week. Further, spending on supplies and requisites also increased by MVR seven million.