The amendment to the current Disability Allowance Act has been in the Committee stage for over a year. The amendment proposed by Makunudhoo Constituency MP Anaaraa Naeem had proposed to increase the allowance to MVR 2,000.
The amendment was forwarded to the Social Committee after a short debate on the Parliament floor on 21st July.
Last year, Finance Minister Abdullah Jihad stated that if the amendment gets ratified, there was no funds to cover the allowance. In the Parliament session held Tuesday night, Gemanafushi Constituency MP Jameel Usman stated that the Government will be unable to give a higher allowance in spite of the MVR 24 billion budget. He added that a contingency has to be arranged to disburse the allowance.
Speaking in Tuesday’s session, MP Anaaraa stated that the amendment was proposed to grant a relief to differently abled persons and their families. She also stated that many of those who face such issues live in dire conditions and that there were specific and high expenses that were incurred in taking care of such persons.
MP Anaaraa stated that many have complained due to the lack of response from the Government. She added that many have noted that the elderly receive a living allowance of MVR 5,000 a month, which would amount to an exorbitant amount given the population. Many have stated that the differently abled accounted for a minor fraction of the society and yet they receive a negligible amount. Anaaraa stated that the caretakers of the differently abled were only able to purchase nappies from the present MVR 2,000 allocation.
She stated that the caretakers have to be with their charges around the clock given their condition and therefore, were barred from employment.
Anaaraa stressed that the Islamic history has shown examples of how the differently abled and the instructions issued by the leaders on how to take care of them. She stated that amendment only calls for a minor adjustment and that she hoped that it would be passed.