Social Welfare budget remains at $200 million

Social Welfare budget remains at $200 million which will assist 104,000 people under the family assistance scheme, social pension scheme, care and protection allowance, disability allowance, rural pregnant mother food allowance and transport assistance scheme.

While delivering the 2024-2025 National Budget, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says they are restructuring the transport assistance scheme for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Professor Prasad says currently, a monthly $25 bus fare allowance is provided to around 48,000 beneficiaries, however many of the elderly and people with disabilities do not have access to buses.

He says to bring greater flexibility and help them they will convert the bus fare allowance into a cash allowance of $25 per month for those with disabilities and the elderly, effective from 1st August 2024.

Deputy Prime Minister says all social pensioners above the age of 70 years and those on disability allowance will now receive a $25 per month cash allowance instead of bus card top-up.

He says pensioners over 70 will now receive a monthly cash allowance of $150, an increase from the current $125 monthly.

The Minister says to help rationalise the transport assistance scheme, they are also going to raise the entitlement age from 60 years to 65 years effective from 1st August 2024 and align it with the eligibility criteria for the social pension scheme.

He says this change will be only applied going forward, which means that those below this age who are already on the assistance system will continue.

Professor Prasad says promoting gender equality and the empowerment for women and girls is a top priority of the Coalition Government.

He says $1 million is provided to assist and empower women institutions, implement the Women's Plan of Action and strengthen the Domestic Violence helpline.

He further says they are working on strategies to increase the female labour force participation rate which currently stands at a low of 39 percent, compared to 77 percent for males.

This includes targeted training, provision of child care services at workplaces and adoption of gender-responsive budgeting.

Deputy Prime Minister adds they are also providing $500,000 for the Women’s Expo which provides an opportunity for our women from around the country to showcase their talents, market their products, generate income and encourage and empower other women in Fiji.