Labour Ministry believes it is possible to live on $90 a month

The subsistence minimum and minimum consumer budgets for different population groups have been increased since February 1.

The new indicators are approved by the Decree of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection from January 21. Today the minimum subsistence budget increased by 2.3% and is equal to Br1 428 000 (about $90) per capita, onliner.by reports.

The MSB (minimum subsistence budget) is used as a social indicator for analysis and forecasting of population's standard of living, targeted social aid to poor citizens (families), granting of minimum state social and labour guarantees. This is the minimum that one needs to survive.

The MCB (minimum consumer budget) involves not only expenditures to survive, but also "to acquire consumer goods basket and services to meet basic human physiological and socio-cultural needs".

These indicators are approved quarterly in prices of the last month of a quarter for eight social-demographic population groups.

Since February 1 the MSB is as follows: the average per capita - Br1 428 000, working-age population - Br1 549 000; pensioners - Br1 095 070; students - Br1 386 490; children under three - Br927 610; children of 3-6 years - Br1 292 070; children of 6-18 years - Br1 586 840.

The MCB for able-bodied population is Br2 766 470; pensioners - Br2 165 460; students - Br2 139 370; children under three - Br1 702 000; children of 3-6 years - Br2 229 670; children of 6-18 years - Br2 375 240. The MCB for a family of four is Br2 158 170; for a young family of three - Br2 339 890.

New indicators of the MCB and MSB will be valid until April 30, 2015.