The age eligibity for people receiving assistance under the Social Pension scheme will be reduced from 68 years to 66 years effective from July next year.

The government has increased the funding for the social pension scheme from eight million dollars to thirteen million dollars next year.

While delivering the 2016 National Budget this morning, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the $50 per month will be given to pensioners who fall under this scheme, especially those who have no source of income and are not receiving any form of beneficiaries.

Overall, the Ministry of Women and Children has been allocated $52.2 million in next year’s budget.

Sayed-Khaiyum says there’s an increase of $1.2m for child protection allowance, which is now $3.2 m under which disadvantaged children are assisted.

$22 million has been allocated towards the Food voucher Program.

The Ministry will continue to assist pregnant women by providing food vouchers to reduce the cases of malnutrition and complications during pregnancy.

$500, 000 has been allocated for this program.