By OLIVER SAMBOKO
SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER BENEFICIARIES to increase to over one Million by December this year, Community Development Minister Doreen Mwamba has disclosed.
Giving her Ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, Ms Mwamba said the new dawn government is committed to improving the lives and wellbeing of the people living in extreme poverty and has therefore prioritized and broadened the social cash transfer programme.
She said currently, the national caseload stands at 973,323 households and that, the process of adding new beneficiaries is underway and expected to reach a land mark of 1,027 000, by December 31, 2022. Ms Mwamba said of the 973,323 beneficiaries on Social Cash Transfer programme, 646,882 are female headed households, 129,100 households persons with disabilities, 162,715 elderly persons, 31,194 chronically ill, and 3,432 child headed households.
She said to ensure that the implementation of the social cash transfer programme continues to add value to the welfare of the targeted beneficiaries, the transfer value paid to beneficiaries has been increased from K150 per month in 2021 to K200 month for households without persons with severe disabilities.
She also said households with persons with severe disabilities will now be paid k400 per month.
Ms Mwamba said government will ensure that household incomes are stable to assist beneficiaries in meeting their immediate needs and invest in assets.
She also said to enhance transparency, government has automated the payment system through the development of the Zambia integrated social protection Information system (ZISPIS), which is a gateway for data management and electronic payment system.
