| Social Aid Social Aid Social Aid is an income-tested scheme. It is payable only where the income of a head of a household is not enough to meet the basic requirements of the members of the household. It can also be payable to a single person. Social Aid is payable to the poorer section of the population where the persons concerned are unable to earn a living, to the dependents of prisoners, to abandoned spouses especially with dependent children. It is also paid for a limited period in case of sudden loss of employment. A number of other benefits are granted to a social aid beneficiary. We also issue for instance provision of free spectacles, wheelchairs to deserving cases and hearing aids, payment of examination fees for SC, GCE, HSC and IVTB Courses, funeral grant, refund of travelling to attend medical treatment, compassionate allowance for severe illness, carer's allowance, allowance for purchase of rice and flour and allowances to fire victims, cyclone refugees, flood victims as well as bad weather allowance for fishermen. There are about 17,000 cases of social aid in Mauritius. Under the 2002-2003 Estimates, a provision has been made for social aid payment. |
