Over USD 259.40 million has been allocated for social protection services in the proposed state budget for 2027 submitted to the Parliament, representing an 8.8 per cent increase from the outgoing fiscal year as part of government efforts to prioritise national social well-being and stability.
Administered primarily through the National Social Protection Agency, the Maldives Pension Administration Office, the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, and the National Disaster Management Authority, the framework directs substantial resources towards pensions, where basic payouts to citizens aged 65 and older account for more than 80 per cent of sector spending following civil service pay harmonisation, the Ministry of Finance reported.
A detailed line-item breakdown designates USD 135.54 million for senior citizen care, alongside USD 69.39 million for medical patients and persons requiring special assistance, which incorporates USD 16.32 million for treatment aid and USD 53.53 million for special needs support. Funding for children and family assistance stands at USD 28.77 million, ministry figures indicate, while USD 17.78 million is allocated for socially isolated individuals and USD 7.77 million for broader social protection initiatives.
Capital spending under the Public Sector Investment Programme funds 'Amaan Hiya' safe homes, specialised facilities for the elderly, and domestic violence shelters. State policy pairs rising welfare allowances for single parents, foster care, and disability with vocational initiatives designed to curb dependency, systematically replacing expatriate labour and integrating marginalised citizens into the national workforce to build an inclusive society.