Ministry of Finance has revealed over USD 20 million has been disbursed towards the schemes outlined in the Economic Relief Package (ERP).
The weekly COVID-19 spending report published by the finance ministry states USD 19.36 million was disbursed for the implementation of the COVID-19 recovery loans as of June 7. Meanwhile, over USD 129,000 was allocated to the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) for the implementation of the income support scheme. The report states income support allowance was disbursed to 488 individuals amounting to over USD 8 million.
The government introduced a compensation package to cover some of the essential expenses of individuals whose employment have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the income support package, an allowance of USD 323 will be provided for individuals who fall under the eligibility criteria stated under an established policy for a period of three months.
The government also decided to subsidise 40% of electricity bills and 30% from water bills for the months of May and June, as part of the COVID-19 relief for the citizens. The finance ministry revealed over USD 3.8 million was given as discounts for utility bills, including USD 658,000 for the water bills of 46,417 households and USD 3.2 million on electricity bills of 92,588 households.
The ERP was formulated to provide financial support and relief to individuals, households and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial support schemes are all financed through the COVID-19 Trust Fund.