Auditor General's Office has stated the funds disbursed by National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) for income support were released in compliance to financial regulations.
The COVID-19 compliance audit conducted on NSPA and Aasandha Company Limited revealed NSPA had disbursed USD 650,000 US dollars to 2,506 individuals as income support allowances, which were introduced by the government to assist individuals who had lost their jobs or sources of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audit revealed the funds were disbursed in accordance to the income support allowance policy of the administration and the verification guideline for the income support programme.
The income support allowance is provided for individuals who have been either dismissed or suspended from their jobs without pay, as well as employees who have been sent on no-pay leaves and employees whose monthly wages have been reduced below USD 323. The allowance given for individuals whose wages have been cut will be the difference between USD 323 and their current monthly wages.
Independent contractors, performing artists and other freelance workers are also eligible for income support allowance if their sources of income have been blocked since December 1, 2019.