Cabinet to boost number of eligible cash hand-out recipients
The Cabinet would expand the target group eligible for its cash-handout programme, a relief measure for those who have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, from 3 million to 9 million people, Prime Minister's Office spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said on Tuesday (March 31).
She said the Cabinet had approved the Ministry of Finance’s proposal to review the Cabinet's resolution regarding a second phase of the measure to expand the number of eligible recipients of the offer".
“After allowing 3 million people affected by Covid-19 pandemic to register for the income compensation programme from March 28 to 30. 18.8 million registrants were found over the quota, thus the number of affected individuals must be far more than estimated”.
“Insurers under Section 33, 39, and 40 the of Social Security Act are not eligible to receive benefits while being unemployed. Therefore, we need to provide assistance to these insurers as well”.
She explained that there are about 5 million insurers under Section 39 and 40, while there are 70,676 insurers under Section 33 that the government would provide assistance.
“Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Office will consider further assistance for other groups of insurer under Section 33 soon,” she said.
She added that to compensate the victims thoroughly and in a timely manner, the Ministry of Finance will use a budget of not more than Bt45 billion which has been allocated by the Cabinet on March 24 for the first compensation payout in April this year.
“For the following months, the Ministry of Finance will propose to the Cabinet for consideration the appropriate source of funding,” she added.