Credit on the “basics” card to be increased

PALMA
THE Balearic Minister for Social Affairs, Promotion and Immigration, Fina Santiago, announced the relaunch of the “basics” card, with an increase of three percent in 2008, equivalent to the increase in the Consumer Price Index in the next three years and discounts in shops for people who have this card.

At the moment, the “basics” card is credited with 210 euros annually, to be spent on basic products, and is given to 8'200 people who receive a non contributory State pension.

But now, Minister Santiago has promised to increase this amount by three percent, “although if the Consumer Price Index is greater than three percent, we will equal it”, she insisted.

She guaranteed that “during the next three years the credit on the card will rise with the cost of living. In addition to this, with the aim of gaining the help of society, we have started talks will both large and small shops to see if they can give discounts to those people holding the ‘basics' card”, she explained.

These discounts will also start in 2008, will be of an average of five percent, and logically will only be available for the purchase of basic products, such as food, clothes, shoes and medication.

With all these measures, explained Santiago, “we will improve the ‘basics' card and increase the purchasing power of these people by around eight percent.” Santiago recalled that the “basics” card was designed in 2002 by the then Government in order to avoid measures being put in place by the Spanish Government, which had already ruled against the single payment which the Balearic Government has offered since 1999 as a complement to the non contributory State pension, arguing that this grant, given by some other regions as well, was causing inequality over the whole country. The Balearics and the other regions appealed against this, saying that it fell within the province of the Social Services and it was their job to protect citizens on lower income.

Finally, the Constitutional court ruled that the regions were right.
The Balearics is the only region which has this particular type of grant in place, which this year will have a budget of 1'745'000 euros.
The “basics” card is a bank card given annually to people receiving a non contributory State pension, and to disabled people, for the purchase of basic articles. Each card is credited with 210 euros.