[Mexico] Anti-poverty program set to expand in 2006

From El Universal Online

BY GUILLERMINA GUILLÉN

The government is moving to give Opportunities - its flagship anti-poverty program - more autonomy in the hopes that it could eventually administer assistance to 25 million Mexicans.

The program gives monthly payouts to the nation´s poorest families for meeting goals such as regular school attendance and receiving preventative medical care. Vitamin-boosted baby food is also distributed through the program. It currently aids 5 million households and has been recognized for its success by international bodies such as the Inter-American Development Bank.

According to high-level officials with Opportunities, this year the program will begin to operate independently and be separated from the Social Development Secretary (Sedesol) and be given the budget to increase its range of services.

Two of the new branches of Opportunities are set to kick off this year. The first is called "Support for Senior Citizens" and will give monthly payments of 250 pesos (US$24) to elderly poor. The second is the "Opportunities Retirement Savings Plan," in which the government will match deposits made by workers over 30 that are already enrolled in the Opportunities program.

The idea is to take advantage of the information already compiled by Opportunities - mainly the database of 5 million low income families - to further complement existing aid and expand its coverage.

President Vicente Fox says the program has reduced the nation´s extreme poverty.