The Ministry of Social Security is still calculating the amount to be paid starting from April 1 for widows, disabled individuals, and those aged 90 and above.
This comes after the Prime Minister’s announcement that the pension will be Rs 13,500 per month for all individuals aged between 60 and 89.
Based on our calculations, this increase will cost the government approximately Rs 8.4 billion per year, or about Rs 648.515 million per month.
Calculations have been ongoing since January. It is known that since January, a category of seniors aged between 75 and 89 already receive Rs 13,500 per month.
According to statistical data, in January there were 264,601 individuals aged between 60 and 89, with 81,166 aged between 60 and 64, and 171,767 aged between 65 and 89.
While the Prime Minister announced that all seniors aged 60 to 89 will receive a pension of Rs 13,500 per month, it is unclear if those aged 90 and above will receive an increase.
The same uncertainty applies to centenarians, of which there are 179 receiving a pension of Rs 23,710.
In January 2024, there were 5,016 individuals aged between 90 and 100, each receiving Rs 18,700. Will they receive the additional Rs 1,500?
As of now, the Ministry of Social Security has not provided information on this matter.
The same goes for widows and disabled individuals receiving Rs 11,000 per month. It remains unclear if they will be included in the announced increase on March 12.
In January, there were 28,278 disabled individuals and 17,096 widows receiving Rs 11,000 per month.
In a previous announcement on October 1, 2019, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth had stated that pensions would increase to Rs 9,000 starting in December of that year, and would reach Rs 13,500 by the end of his term in 2024.
While there were no increases for the first two years, in July 2022, individuals aged between 65 and 89 received a Rs 2,000 increase, and those between 60 and 64 saw a Rs 1,000 increase.
A year later, an additional Rs 1,000 was added to their monthly pensions. In January of this year, individuals aged between 75 and 89 received a Rs 1,500 increase per month.
Source: l’Express
