MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CFK announces increase in child allowance 45 days before presidential election

The Argentine president announcement benefits 3.6 million children and pregnant women

With less than two months for the October 23 general election, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced on Wednesday changes in the Universal Child Allowance (AUH), including the new rates for children under 18, disabled children and pregnant women.

“This meeting has the objective of complying with a policy that has been developing for a while and that constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of this model, which is social inclusion” said Cristina Fernandez at an unexpected press conference in Government House.

The AUH, which was introduced in 2009, will now grant 270 pesos (68 dollars) a month for each child under the age of 18, to parents who are unemployed or work in the informal sector.

The full breakdown: parents who earn a registered combined wage of up to 2,800 Pesos (approx 650 dollars) will receive 270 Pesos; for those who earn between 2,800 and 4,000 Pesos (approx 950 dollars) will receive 204 Pesos, (50 USD) and those who earn between 4,000 and 5,200 Pesos (approx 1.250 dollars) will receive 136 pesos (32 USD).

The adjustment shows an increase of 23% consequently edging the Budget Plan to put aside 2.189 billion Pesos more per year, explained the head of State. The allowance for disabled children rose from 880 to 1080 Pesos (260 USD).

Cristina Fernandez said the measures would benefit almost 3.6 million children and pregnant women with an annual State expenditure of 11,824 billion Pesos (approx 2.8 billion dollars) to these areas.

During her speech the Argentine President remarked on how the application of child allowance “has had an overwhelming affect on our society”.

The head of Argentina’s organized labour, Hugo Moyano praised the announcement and said that “the increase of the child allowance was one of the CGT’s most important claims”.