The Finance Ministry aims to spend 3 billion baht more to fund a proposed extension of the government's occupational training programme for the poor holding state welfare cards and receiving monthly living allowances.
The job training scheme was previously carried out from March until December last year to offer an incentive for the low-income earners receiving state welfare to obtain new knowledge and skills in jobs designed to help them supplement their income, said Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong.
About 4 million people have signed up for the training, but in the end only 3 million of them attended, he said. Those who have attended the training are given 100 baht or 200 baht more per month in monthly living allowances, depending on their actual income, he said.
People earning less than 30,000 baht a year receive 200 baht per month after training, while those earning more than 30,000 but not more than 100,000 baht a year receive 100 baht/month.
There are about 14.5 million state-welfare card holders receiving 200 baht or 300 baht a month in living allowances. Those earning less than 30,000 baht a year receive 300 baht, 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. The extended job training programme will last six months from now until June, Mr Apisak said.
Both those 3 million people already attending the previous job training and the 1 million people who failed to attend training will be encouraged to attend the new courses, he said.
Up to 80% of the people who attended past schemes now earn more from the skills they gained, he said. The ministry's proposal to extend job training for the poor is expected to go before cabinet tomorrow, a source said.