Male’, Maldives – Finance Ministry of Maldives has announced that they have spent MVR242.3 million as Income Support Allowance to the citizens whose jobs have been affected by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the statistics revealed by the Finance Ministry, 17,410 citizens had received the Income Support Allowance provided by the government. The income support is given at the rate of MVR 5000 to those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and an amount to sum upto MVR 5000 to those who are receiving less than MVR 5000 per month.
A study conducted by UNDP and the Economic Ministry found that the pandemic has affected the employment status of over 45,000 people in the Maldives.
This is why, since May 20 of this year, the government of Maldives has been providing income support allowance under the government’s economic relief package to individuals who are unable 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, placed on no-pay leave or suspended from their jobs. The individuals who are on probation and temporary positions also meet the requirements needed to receive allowance. Eligible individuals must be between the age 18 and 65 years.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development, any individual who had to undergo loss of employment or change in pay since December of 2019 may apply for the allowance.
In early December, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced that the government will be issuing income support to those who are in need of it until the end of 2020 to ensure job continuity for Maldivians, at a time large-scale terminations and wage cuts have taken place, which was later extended again.
