Parliament floor receives Bill on Social Protection stating 11 areas of support

Parliament Social Affairs Committee has completed the review and forwarded the Bill on Social Protection to the parliament floor proposing 11 areas of support for the underprivileged.

Proposed to the parliament in 2010 and forwarded to the floor today, the bill asks to mandate State institutions to provide support to single parents, neglected individuals, psychological patients and children and guardians of children under the care of parties other than their natural parents.

It also proposes subsidies on electricity, food products, water supply and accommodation and requires the establishment of a structure for the State to provide assistance during emergencies. It also requires the State to support small and medium business facing difficulties and students studying in schools, colleges and universities.

According to the bill, an individual or a person on behalf is required to register file with the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) for such supports and subsidies to be granted by State.

The Bill on Social Protection also requires an adjacent law to be enacted within three months of ratification of the bill, which is to detail the amounts of funds and the criteria of eligibility for supports stated in the bill.

It also requires the State to allocate finances in its annual budget for social protection expenses, to be passed by the parliament before the beginning of each year.

The bill obligates NSPA to uphold the confidentiality of medical and personal information of all persons who file for support, and States that employees who divulge such information maybe subjected for fines between MVR 5,000 and MVR 10,000.