The cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to allocating 4.37 billion baht from the fiscal 2019 central budget to fund a proposed extension of the job training programme for those holding welfare smartcards.
According to government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta, the approved central budget aims to extend the training programme for low-income people who hold the cards and receive monthly living allowances.
The job training scheme was previously carried out from March to December of last year as an incentive for low-income earners receiving welfare to obtain new knowledge and skills in jobs designed to help them supplement their income.
The extension is for the six months to June.
Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong said recently about 4 million people had signed up for the training, but only 3 million attended.
Those who attended the training were given 100 or 200 baht more per month in monthly living allowance, depending on their actual income.
People earning less than 30,000 baht a year received 200 baht a month after training, while those earning more than 30,000 but not more than 100,000 baht a year received 100 baht a month.
There are 14.5 million welfare smartcard holders receiving 200 or 300 baht a month in living allowance.
Those earning less than 30,000 baht a year receive 300 baht a month, while the people earning more than 30,000 baht a year but no more than 100,000 baht a year receive 200 baht a month.
Both the 3 million who already attended the previous job training and the 1 million people who failed to attend the training will be encouraged to attend the new courses, Mr Apisak said.
Up to 80% of the people who attended past schemes now earn more from the skills they gained, he said.
"The government wants to extend the training scheme to encourage the remaining cardholders to join the training programme," Mr Buddhipongse said.
According to the spokesman, the cabinet also approved allowing 14.5 million welfare smartcard holders to withdraw cash from banks to buy any goods they want.