New pensions' rise in the offing for retired people

The head of the social security department at the employment ministry Bourkayeb has revealed that the labour minister Tayeb Louh will endorse a sweeping pension's rise for 1.5 Algerian retired pensioners in the few weeks to come.

• The rise rate is substantial and will vary between 5- 10 % depending on the outcome of the negotiations between the members of the Fund’s National Committee and will come into effect as from May 1.
• Talking to “Echorouk” the National Retirees Federation general secretary, Alaouchiche Smail indicated that the fund’s administration board is calculating the rate’s rise on the basis of the fund’s incomes over the year 2008, which reached a peak of 100% rise amounting to 10 billion Algerian Dinars.
• It should be noted that the retired benefited already from a first hike in October followed by a second one in January.
• Medical book for retired people to exempt them from medical charges.
• On the other hand, the Fund’s director general has revealed that the employment ministry is launching as from next Thursday a pilot project dealing with the distribution of medical books for pensioners that they will present to doctors and pharmacists whenever they make consultations or buy medecines. 
• Talking on a radio program, M Bourkayeb declared that the fund’s expenses are estimated at something like 290 billion Algerian Dinars a year including the portion supported by the treasury destined to a special category of pensioners as part of the national solidarity program
• As to the Bankrupt companies’ retired people who have not benefited from their pensions yet, M Bourkayeb declared that these former workers have to present the required documents which prove the years of their activities in order to get their dues.
• In this respect, the president of the fund’s executive board Mohammed Sahraoui revealed to “Echorouk” that all the employees who had been laid off since 1997 till the present day saw their salaries taken in charge by the pensioners’ fund even if the majority didn’t reach the legal age for this, causing a deficit estimated at 8 billion Algerian Dinars.