Social security and welfare payments have risen on the island nation ,with current estimates indicated to reach 583 million per year while pensions reached an all-time high with 699 million paid out last year.
According to the Ministry of Finances figures released Thursday , as at the end of 2012 government dedicated 699 million dollars to various social security and welfare payments with figures showing an increase across all payments.
In some of the statistics revealed social security and welfare funding represented approximately 27 per cent of total government spending subsequently forming 6.7 per cent of (GDP) Gross Domestic Product.
Beneficiaries of pension scheme applications went up witnessing a 5.4 per cent increase on the previous year to reach 169 847 persons by end of 2012 ,while the paid pensions went up by 11 per cent to reach 256.8 million dollars.
Current forecasts from the Ministry of Finance did indicate that retirement pensions would more than double over the next several years with monies disbursed to retirees expected to go from 257 million dollars 583 million dollars paid out per year.
Families who have insufficient means to support themselves and dependents received reach 22.59 million dollars in 2012, with 20 855 recipients in December 2011 this figure was 20 191, an increase of 6.6 per cent
Currently there are 87 200 people benefiting from food aid assistance in the form of in rice and flour cash subsidies valued at 8.62 million dollars presently.
The island nations Unemployment Hardship Relief UHR program applications recorded an increase of 6.5 per cent, from 589 individuals in December 2011 to just over 625 last year.
The amount paid out to UHR beneficiaries increased by 18 per cent from 444,159 dollars in 2011 to 524,623.64 in 2012 .
However contributions collected from pension funds excluding tax, rose 7.5 per cent, from 36.6 million 2011 to 39.34 million dollars in 2012.
While officials have not commented on the latest social security payments and funding figures , Mauritian press have criticised government for spending lavishly on welfare and asking for a review of funding schemes via external audits .
According to the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development report on Mauritius, the island nation has outpaced in comparison with sub-Saharan Africa nations in social spending allocation.
Highlighting an astonishing increase in government expenditure over the last several on social security and welfare was fruitful for the island nation, was another finding by the UN report.