By MILDRED KATONGO –
GOVERNMENT says more than two million people across the country have benefitted from the social cash transfer (SCT) scheme.

Community Development and Social Welfare Minister, Emerine Kabanshi said the Government was committed to ensuring that the living standards of people were uplifted by increasing the number of beneficiaries.
Ms Kabanshi said this when she toured projects undertaken by SCT beneficiaries in Fisenge and Kafwankumba areas in Luanshya.
She said the number of beneficiaries had risen because Government recognised the challenges many people were facing.
“Government is doing all it can to ensure that the vulnerable in society are supported. We keep on increasing the number of beneficiaries because we know that many are in need. The number has increased to more than two million people,” she said.
The minister said the Government was considering increasing the number of districts and beneficiaries in order to reach out to many who were in need.
She was delighted to note that the empowerment fund was being properly utilised and empowering more vulnerable groups in Luanshya.
“We promised when we came into power that we will ensure that the vulnerable are supported. We are an inclusive Government and we will continue identifying the needy and providing them with SCT and other empowerment funds,” she said.
Ms Kabanshi commended the women groups in Luanshya for playing a leading role in ensuring that the empowerment fund was being utilised properly and yielding positive results.
She said women were the backbone of the economy and that they should continue working hard in order to contribute to national development.
Ms Kabanshi said most of the people who benefitted from the empowerment funds were women and that their projects were doing fine.