The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection is reviewing the criteria and processes for determining eligibility for the social protection program as part of broader reforms.

Social Protection Reform National Coordinator Rozia Bi says that these reforms aim to improve how recipients are targeted.

She addressed concerns raised by Public Accounts Committee member Alvick Maharaj about claims that thousands of individuals may be receiving social welfare benefits without qualifying for them.

The Social Protection Reform National Coordinator says a thorough recertification process will identify those who no longer need assistance and will be removed from the program.

“So all applicants, all initial application goes through the assessment criteria, and that’s how they qualify for the allowances that currently they are receiving. So there is a criteria already in place, and there are reviews, there are recertification that we also do to ensure that those that do not need it any further, they get reviewed and closed as well.”

The committee stresses that the reform process should include a public relations component to ensure that affected recipients are properly informed.

There are over 96,000 people on the various social protection programs.

In the 2024-2025 budget, the government allocated $200 million to the Ministry of Social Protection to continue the increased social welfare allowances.