KUALA LUMPUR – The allocation of RM750 million under Budget 2023 to implement the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) to help 130,000 hardcore poor is sufficient, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
He said it was because the government was taking a different approach to managing the allocation by aiding participants on a monthly basis instead of providing one-off assistance.
“... So, our approach is, instead of taking 100,000 (participants) and directly giving (assistance of) RM20,000 to RM30,000 at once... it is better to pay (the aid to) them every month. So, they need to be in that template within 24 months,” he said in an interview on RTM’s Naratif Khas programme last night.
On February 24, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling Budget 2023 said the government has allocated RM750 million to the Economy Ministry to implement the IPR.
The programme seeks to enable participants to earn between RM2,000 and RM2,500 per month during the 24-month monitoring period and allow them to generate their own income through the results obtained.
Participants can apply to join the programme under several categories, namely the Agro Entrepreneur Initiative (Intan), Food Entrepreneur Initiative (Insan) and Services Operator Initiative (Ikhsan).
“(Participants) under Insan will be provided with a vending machine installed at selected locations, of which the monthly rental of between RM600 and RM800 will be paid directly to the vending machine providers depending on the type of the vending machines... within two years.
“Under Intan, it will involve the government identifying the land and provide land-clearing assistance... and fertigation, liquid fertilisers, as well as all available equipment,” he said, adding that those under the Ikhsan category will receive an increase in their income.
“For example, individuals who manage public toilets sometimes only manage to collect RM1,000 or RM800. So, we will top up (the income) every month to RM2,000 for 24 months,” he said. – Bernama, March 14, 2023
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