Bigger dole for elders

by Mohammed NAALIR

Plans are afoot to increase public assistance for elders to between Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000, Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Felix Perera said.

The Cabinet has granted permission to increase the public assistance from the current Rs. 300 to 500, according to Minister Perera.The Government grants public assistnace payments from Rs. 100 to Rs. 300 every month, depending on the area. Elders totalling 263,301 receive this assistance throughout the country.

The Government has to spend an additional Rs. 3,000 million to meet this expenditure.