Covid-19: economic response expenditure exceeds a billion
22 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2020 | އަންގާރަ 19:55The allowances were issued to 7,742
Workers protesting over unpaid wages and dismissals amid pandemic
The Ministry of Finance has revealed that the total disbursements made under the Economic Response Package has exceeded a billion.
As such, the total disbursement made under ERP schemes including income support allowances, recover loans and discounts on electricity and water bills reached MVR 1,006.9 billion.
This the ministry said, is a one percent increase from the previous week.
Over the week, MVR 10.1 million was disbursed to NSPA for disbursement as income support allowances and additional allocations were not made to other schemes within the period.
According to the ministry’s latest statistics, MVR 79.2 million had been disbursed as income support allowances by September 17.
The allowances were issued to 7,742 individuals out of the 18,724 applicants.
The ministry will be accepting applications for income support for the ongoing month until October 30. Application deadline for the month of July was set at September 15, followed by September 30 for allowances for the month of August.
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, for a six-month period.
The goal of the economic relief package was to ensure job continuity for Maldivians, at a time large-scale terminations and wage cuts have taken place. Those who have been terminated, put on no-pay leave, had their salary deducted and had their earnings affected are eligible for the allowance. This includes individuals in probation and temporary positions.
A total of MVR 30,000 is awarded under the six-month allowance, between April to September. It 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. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 65 years and employed in the Maldives by December 1, 2019.
According to the latest statistics, the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) remains the top contributor in providing discount on water bills, the amount remains unchanged at MVR 10.2 million in total provided by MWSC, STELCO and FENAKA.
The total issued for discount on electricity bills by the three companies amount to MVR 48.2 million for a total of 98,722 households which remains unchanged from the statistics of the previous week.
