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Briefing of the Parliamentary Working Committee on the implementation of the requests of the House of Elders
On the progress of the implementation of the requests of the The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Ms Marilena Evangelou, informed the Labour Committee of the Parliament today.
Specifically, Ms Evangelou informed about the stage of implementation of the National Strategy for the Third Age, which will consist of three pillars: social inclusion, healthy ageing and diversity and inequalities, which include actions and policies divided into thematic sections.
This is a mega project involving 11 Ministries and Deputy Ministries, under the coordination of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, which is at a very good stage of implementation with constructive cooperation from all stakeholders, he said.
At an advanced stage is also the Residential Subsidy Scheme in Homes for the Elderly.
The Residential Subsidy Scheme in Homes for the Elderly is also at an advanced stage. This is, he said, a Project, which will be targeted at our elderly citizens (not necessarily only beneficiaries of the EHIC), who need long-term care in Homes for the Elderly, but cannot meet the increased costs required for the maintenance fees.
The Plan will also include criteria for the provision of quality services by the Homes, which will be binding for inclusion in the program.
Regarding the Red Button, Ms. Evangelou informed the Labor Committee that the Third Age Agency's Red Button Subcommittee, composed of the President of the Third Age Observatory Mr. Demos Antoniou and the academic Dr. Konstantinos Fellas, together with officials of the Ministry of State are in the final stage of drafting a specific proposal, which they expect to study and present before the plenary of the Third Age Body.
In terms of benefits, Ms. Evangellou noted the progress made through the 5% increase in the Low Pensioners' Allowance, extending the defined minimum and maximum total income limits, and referred to the Government's two decisions to disregard the increase in pensions granted by the Ministry of Labour, namely to absorb the cost of this increase for the purposes of receiving the Low Pensioners' Allowance, so that no low pensioner beneficiary would be affected either by a reduction in their allowance or by having it cut off.
He also referred to the Government's decision to support low pensioner households with a one-off financial support of 100 euros for three months, from April to June, within the framework of the support of population groups, in the third package of targeted measures.
Recently, the Christodoulides Government also increased the Easter allowance for low pensioners by 30%, from 190 euros to 250 euros,
This is, as Ms Evangellou said, an increase in this allowance after many years.
The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare also informed the Commission that in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, preparatory work has begun on the rationalization of the Ministry's benefit policy, implementing President Christodoulides' Governance Programme.
This is an important action, he said, which will modernize on the basis of current needs and challenges all social benefits, correcting distortions and improving them where and when they need improvement.
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