Disability allowance to be raised in June

The state allowance for people with disabilities will be raised starting June, according to the President’s Office.

People with disabilities registered with the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) currently receive a monthly allowance of MVR 2,000.

While the government has yet to announce the exact amount by which the allowance will be raised, the Blind and Visually Impaired Society had petitioned President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to raise the allowance to MVR 5,000.

President Solih had announced plans to raise the allowance during his annual address back in February.

President’s Office spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed told Sun on Monday that the government had been unable to raise the allowance last year because the work on compiling a register of people with disabilities remained incomplete.

“It will be raised in June,” he said.

Miuvaan said the exact amount by which the allowance will be raised will be announced by the president at a later date.