Maputo — The Mozambican government has almost doubled the Basic Social Allowance paid to the most vulnerable poor households (such as those headed by children, or elderly or disabled people).

This allowance was initially designed to increase the likelihood that children in such households will attend school, and reduce risks of malnutrition.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, after a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), Deputy Foreign Minister Henrique Banze said the government has decided to increase the allowance for a single person vulnerable household from 130 to 250 meticais (from 4.6 to 8.5 US dollars) a month.

For households consisting of two people, the allowance rises from 190 to 320 meticais a month. The largest allowance is granted to households of five or more people, and this rises from 380 to 500 meticais a month.

With this measure, Banze said, the government is showing its commitment to increasing the allowance paid to vulnerable households as far as possible, and to increase the number of beneficiaries.

Currently the Basic Social Allowance benefits about 265,000 people, and the number is expected to rise to 291,000 in 2013.