ASUNCIÓN – The Paraguayan government has announced the expansion of senior pension beneficiaries by an additional 6,000. With this measure, over 323,000 seniors aged 77 and above will receive pension benefits.

Tadeo Rojas, Minister of the Ministry of Social Development (MDS), stated that this pension expansion will result in an additional investment of over 225 billion guaraníes (approximately 41 billion Korean won). He also emphasized that the Paraguayan government is investing 393 million dollars annually (approximately 528 billion Korean won) in this social welfare program.

This pension expansion includes not only general seniors but also specific vulnerable groups. Over 1,200 indigenous people aged 55 and above, 250 severely disabled individuals aged 60 and above, and 248 people who were not identified in previous surveys but were included after reconfirmation, totaling 1,500 people, will newly receive pension benefits.

Law 7235/2023, enacted on October 28, 2023, mandates that all seniors aged 65 and above who have no income from the public or private sector or are not enrolled in social insurance receive at least 25% of the minimum wage monthly.

Beneficiaries can verify their inclusion on the MDS website and collect their pensions from all branches of the National Development Bank (BNF) starting Friday.

Meanwhile, MDS announced the distribution of 1,374 debit cards to new participating households in the 'Tekoporã Mbarete' program in the Caazapá region. This social program, with an investment of over 2.632 billion guaraníes (approximately 480 million Korean won), has more than 11,500 participants in the region.

Minister Tadeo Rojas will attend the card distribution ceremony at the Tavaí Cultural Center and announce new participants in the 'Tenonderã' program, which aims to strengthen social protection for vulnerable groups.

The beneficiaries in this phase are from the districts of 3 de Mayo, Abaí, Buena Vista, Caazapá, General Higinio Morínigo, Maciel, Moisés Bertoni, San Juan Nepomuceno, Tavaí, Yegros, 1  and Yuty.