Rabat – The Head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch, said today that a total of 1,004,400 families have benefited from the direct social support program initiated on December 28, 2023.
The program, which has garnered significant interest from Moroccan households, has disbursed a financial envelope exceeding MAD 524 million ( $52.6 million) to date, according to the Moroccan government.
Speaking during the government council today, Akhannouch emphasized that the online portal dedicated to direct social support, www.asd.ma, has received nearly 2.9 million applications.
Notably, 64% of these applications pertain to monthly grants for school and non-school-going children, while 34% sought assistance through the one-time grant of MAD 500 ($50.2), with an additional 273 requests for the childbirth grant.
Akhannouch added that families submitting applications after December 10 will receive their payments for both the months of December and January at the end of this month.
He encouraged all eligible citizens to take advantage of the program, initiated by King Mohammed VI, by submitting applications if they meet the necessary criteria.
Akhannouch concluded by highlighting the government’s “ongoing commitment” to provide “essential” support for Moroccan citizens, reassuring them about future opportunities to benefit from this social assistance program.
The initiative is designed to provide direct assistance to families in need. King Mohammed VI announced the initiative in October 2023 in an address at the parliament.
According to Akhannouch, a budget of MAD 25 billion ($2.4 billion) will be allocated to implement the social assistance project in 2024.
The targeted social groups in the program includes school-age children, children with disabilities, newborns, and economically vulnerable families without school-age children, especially those supporting elderly individuals.
The minimum support for each family, regardless of its composition, is set at MAD 500 ($50.2) per month, with the possibility of reaching over MAD 1,000 ($100.4) monthly.
The amount of funds allocated will depend on the unique circumstances and composition of each family, particularly the number of children.
