New anti-poverty benefit kicks in

(ANSA) - Rome, August 31 - The government's new Support for Active Inclusion (SIA) benefit for poverty-stricken families kicks in as of September 2, INPS social security and pensions agency said Wednesday.
    Citizens can file their SIA requests in the municipality where they reside, and those officials will forward them to INPS where they will be checked to make sure they fulfill the criteria. The benefit should ensure that between 180,000 and 220,000 households made up of a total of between 800,000 and one million people - half of them children - have 320 euros each a month.
    Labour Minister Giuliano Poletti announced the new benefit in July, saying it has a budget of 750 million euros this year.
    He added at the time that he hoped the amount will be "doubled" next year to ensure all of the estimated one million minors living in poverty in Italy will be covered by it.
    He said that one billion euros have already been set aside for SIA in 2017.
    Poor households will be issued a SIA card to make purchases at supermarkets, stores and pharmacies, and pay bills at post offices with a 5% discount.
    Poverty rose in Italy during the economic crisis, which caused jobless rates to soar. The Italian economy returned to positive growth last year after years of recession, but the recovery is moderate and looks fragile.