Applications open for second round of income support allowance

Economic Ministry has open applications for the second round of income support allowance, an allowance introduced to provide financial support to the people whose livelihoods have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic so they are able to meet their essential needs.

The second round of the program will see the disbursement of income support allowance for July, August and September.

Applications for income support allowance for July and August will close on August 31, while application for income support allowance for September will open on September 1.

Applications must be submitted virtually to the JobCenter.

Economic Ministry has instructed those who were previously unable to submit their applications online to register with eFaas and submit their applications online. Additional information regarding the applications will be available from JobCenter once the registration process is complete.

The MVR 5,000 income support allowance is disbursed through National Social Protection Agency (NSPA).

Those who have been laid off or put on no-pay leave or lost their source of income will receive the full MVR 5,000 income support allowance.

Meanwhile, those who have been subjected to pay or income reductions will be eligible for the allowance if their reduced pay or income is lower than MVR 5,000, and even if their reduced pay or income is lower than MVR 5,000, they will not be eligible the full allowance, but the difference.

Finance Ministry stated last week that it disbursed MVR 35.1 million in income support allowance to 8,488 applicants during the first round of the program.

Meanwhile, the criteria for eligibility for the allowance has been expanded to allow people whose income have been affected due to the coronavirus pandemic as far back as December 2019, instead of March 2020, to seek income support.