336. In 2019, Government announced free tertiary education will be granted to all students
attending public institutions. The aim is to enable more youngsters, especially those who cannot
afford, to undertake tertiary education. Please also refer to “Right to Education”. The measure
applies for courses leading to the obtention of a first certificate, a first diploma or a first
undergraduate degree only. Beneficiaries are newly-enrolled students as well as existing cohorts
who are moving on to the next level and are following programmes up to the undergraduate level.
SOCIAL PROTECTION
337. Following Budget speech 2019/2020, as from January 2020, the new rates will prevail as
regards universal non-contributory pensions and mean tested Social Aid.
Table 35: Non-contributory pensions and mean tested Social Aid for period July 2017 to June
2018.
Type of Social Assistance
Number of beneficiaries
Amount in
(Rs million )
June 2017
June 2018
Basic Pensions
Basic Retirement Pension
206,799
215,334
16,809.6
Basic Widow's Pension
19,540
19,282
1,525.8
Basic Invalid's Pension
32,300
32,075
2,706.2
Basic Orphan's Pension
365
349
34.8
1/
Social Aid
18,493
16,975
562.5
Total
1/
Refers to the number of cases who benefit from Social Aid for themselves and for members of their
family
Source: Statistics Mauritius
338. A tax credit of 5 percent announced in the budget 2019-2020 will allow estimated additional
5,000 employees to benefit from the reduced 10 percent personal income tax rate, if annual net
income earned is below Rs 700,000 in that income year.
339. Subsidies on rice, flour and cooking gas are provided by Government at a cost Rs 1.7 billion
to maintain the retail prices of rice, flour and LPG. Government has been continuously decreasing
the price of cooking gas. The 12 kg cylinder has decrease from Rs 330 in 2015/16 to reach Rs 210
as from 11 June 2019. This will cost Government more than Rs 1billions to support this measure.
340. In 2016, Government has decided to exempt some 64,000 households which consume up to
6m3 of water from payment of water charges. This scheme is still prevailing. Low income families
also receive grants for the purchase of both water tanks and water pumps.
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