By Linda Kwanjana
It is clear that government had already put in place necessary measures to ease the economic burden of the downtrodden in the sociaty when they were effecting the devaluation last week.
Speaking at the Press Conference organised by the Ministry of Information in Lilongwe, the Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola say President Lazarus McCarthy has throughout the period proactively prepared to help people who may be affected by the impact of devaluation.
Chithyola said government will cater for 184 820 households from the Cyclone affected families of Phalombe, Blantyre, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Nsanje Chikwawa, Balaka and Zomba rural with K50 000 monthly allocation from the Social Cash Transfer programme urban fund to help them survive the effects of devaluation.
Chithyola further said that about 105 000 households in cities will get monthly upkeep of K150 000 for three months for the same reason.
The new Finance Minister then revealed the increase of beneficiaries under Climate Smart Public Works Programme from 362 to 520 000 houselds.
Overall there is an increase of Social Cash Transfer Programme from 1 million beneficiaries to 2 million in response to devaluation.
In economic terms these sound economic will not only help mitigate the the vulnerable families would have faced, it will also help to keep money in circulation and enhance the buying power which will translate in giving a lifeline to business activities in the country.
This puts to bed fears people had after the devaluation was announced.
