BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Argentine President Alberto Fernandez on Thursday signed a decree that extends social welfare coverage to one million more children and teenagers.
The government is allocating Universal Child Allowance -- which amounts to 30 billion pesos (about 383.20 million U.S. dollars) -- to expand the program. The allowance contributes 3,540 pesos (about 45 dollars) per child to needy households.
When the plan was first launched 11 years ago, "it was something revolutionary in social security in Argentina. It marked the first time that a plan was universalized to protect the most vulnerable children, and that plan has worked very well, reaching those who need it the most," said Fernandez.
The program currently covers 4 million minors up to 18 years of age whose mother or father is unemployed, or doing informal jobs, or belongs to vulnerable groups. Enditem