Poverty Aid Budget Increases by 75%

In the budget bill for the next fiscal year (starting March 21), the government has allocated 70 trillion rials ($1.62 billion) to provide aid to underprivileged households and individuals covered by the State Welfare Organization and Imam Khomeini Relief Committee–75% more compared to resources allocated in the current year for the same purpose, the spokesman of Plan and Budget Organization of Iran’s Budget Headquarters said. Noting that financially supporting those covered by SWO and IKRC carried a price tag of 40 trillion rials ($930.23 million) for the government in the current fiscal (March 2017-18), Amir Baqeri added, “The aid for a single-person household reached 2 million rials ($46.5) this year and households of five members saw their monthly allowance increase from 3.4 million rials ($79) to 7 million rials ($162).” The government is eager to lend support to the needy and even include all individuals whose income is below the minimum wage of 9.3 million rials ($216) set by the government.