Peru’s public sector budget bill for next fiscal year-2015 includes 5.8 billion soles (over US$2 billion) for state-run social programs such as Juntos, Qaliwarma, Cuna Mas, Pension 65, among others.
According to the draft law submitted by the Economy and Finance Ministry (MEF), more than US$ 500 million will be earmarked for a school feeding program called Qaliwarma (Vigorous Child in Quechua), which will provide some 3 million kindergarten and primary school students with free meals.
On the other hand, the cash transfer program aimed at developing human capital and breaking inter-generational transfers of poverty, Juntos, will target a total of 800,000 families, providing a US$391 million funding to improve access to basic services such as education and health.
The Pension 65 Program aims to cover some 500,000 elderly people living in extreme poverty. For this purpose, the government has proposed a budget allocation of US$265 million.
Furthermore, some US$119 million will be directed towards Cuna Mas, which aims to improve early childhood development in 70,000 children under three years old from poor and extremely poor areas, in order to overcome their gaps in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
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Published: 9/1/2014