An allocation of $55.3 million was set aside for the social pension scheme resulting in 45,134 senior citizens assisted in the 2020-2021 budget year.
This, according to the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Annual Report for the financial period August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, tabled in Parliament this week.
Under the scheme, Fijians aged 65 years and above with no source of income, who were not receiving a government pension, ex-servicemen funds, Fiji National Provident Fund pension or any other superannuation, received $100 a month.
“The social pension scheme allowance assisted 45,134 senior citizens. During this period, the ministry received 4487 new applications for assistance,” the report said. Completed assessments show that 3256 new recipients joined the scheme.
“The ministry conducted 5538 reviews with current beneficiaries of the scheme to determine their continuing eligibility under the program’s criteria.”
The scheme was allocated an initial budget of $55.3m for the 2020-2021 financial period.
The program utilised 94 per cent of its funds that was determined by the number of active recipients for each month.
