Male’, Maldives- The Ministry of Finance has revealed today that 17,147 individuals have received income support allowance amounting to MVR 221.1 million.
The government of Maldives has been giving out income support allowance since May, under the government’s economic relief package to individuals who are not able to provide for themselves and their families, due to the negative impact on their incomes caused by the ongoing pandemic.
Such individuals who are eligible to receive income support include employees who have been terminated, put on no-pay leave or suspended from their jobs as well. The individuals who are on probation and temporary positions also meet the requirements needed to receive allowance. They also must be between the age 18 and 65 years.
In early December, the President’s Office announced that the government will be issuing income support to those who are in need of it until the end of this year, overturning initial plans to cease the program in November.
The government’s income support allowance scheme is being carried out with assistance from the World Bank, after they approved financial assistance of USD 12.8 million to support the government’s Income Support scheme back in June. The assistance comprises a USD 6.4 million grant and a USD 6.4 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional credit window for developing countries.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development, any individual who has gone through loss of employment or change in pay since December of 2019, may apply for the allowance, adding that eligible candidates can register and send in the applications for aid through the Job Center’s online portal: jobcenter.mv.
