Rising prices and inflation are at the heart of the concerns of citizens and observers. The government says it has taken steps to deal with economic and other shocks. But the citizen has trouble feeling the impact of his measures on his daily life.
This is why the question of rising prices, inflation and the measures taken by the government to deal with it, come up every week during the press briefing organized at the end of the Government Council.
Questioned again on this point, Mustapha Baitas, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament and Government Spokesperson, detailed the measures taken by the Executive to deal with the rise in prices and the ‘inflation.
Among its measures, Baitas mentions free compulsory health insurance (AMO) for 4 million families, i.e. 11 million Moroccans, who will be able to benefit from AMO from next month (December 1), with a 100% coverage of health expenses in hospitals.
In 2023, the government will grant direct support to 7 million children and 3 million families, without children of school age, he continued, also referring to the increase in the minimum wage SMIG and SMAG, in the sector. agriculture and the industry sector, with an increase in the family allowance for children in particular, especially the 4th, 5th and 6th child.
Still with regard to the measures taken by the government to counter rising prices and inflation, the Minister spoke of the reduction in income tax and the regularization of promotions frozen for two years.
” The reduction in income tax is an effort made by the government, which believes that there is no question of civil servants and employees bearing the taxes alone. It was important that we make a move by lowering taxes for this category, and broadening the tax base to categories that do not pay IR“, he explained.
In addition, and with regard to the support of basic necessities to preserve the purchasing power of Moroccans, Baitas indicated that the government has allocated 22 billion dirhams this year to maintain the price of the bottle of butane gas at less than 45 Dh, while its real price is 135 Dh.
Also, the minister pointed out that the government has allocated more than 8.5 billion dirhams to support the price of flour and bread, to subsidize wheat imports.
” The bread, which is sold at 1.20 Dh each, contains 1 dh of state support. If the flour was purchased at the actual import price, it will not be sold at the current purchase price. And we know very well that all Moroccans without exception consume flour “, he remarked.
Likewise, the Minister referred to the exceptional support granted by the government to road transport professionals, noting that we are the only country in the region which has supported this category of professional, in particular those registered with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Transportation.
” We are going to end this year with 5 billion dirhams granted to its professionals, so that we can take the taxi at the same price, the bus or even the coach and so that the products which come to us from the different regions of the Kingdom also remain at the same price. Currently we are at some 3.5 billion DH of support granted to this category, not counting the 7th tranche of subsidy. With the 7th, 8th and 9th tranche, if the prices do not drop, we will reach 5 billion dirhams if not more“, said the Minister, noting that this 7th tranche of subsidy will be at the same level as that paid in July 2022.
As for rising prices at the pump, once again, Baitas urged those eager to’ ssupport the fuels in an open way, that they tell us where we can bring back the 100 billion dirhams“, noting that this sum corresponds to the budget allocated to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Education for the next year.
But not only ! The government official mentioned the government’s support for electricity, as part of the measures taken to mitigate the rise in prices, and which no one is talking about.
” Electricity prices have soared around the world. No country has been spared by the rise in the prices of this material, with the exception of our country. For example, every 100 dh consumed by the fragile citizen whose consumption is low, the state and the government support him up to 75 dh (…) And these are additional expenses”, he said. underline.
Ultimately, Baitas mentioned the budget deficit which was to reach uncontrollable levels this year, and that the government was able, despite having taken all the measures mentioned, to preserve the budget deficit at reasonable levels, or even the 28 billion dirhams to devote to increase the supply of health, the encouragement to obtain housing or the increase in the budget of national education and health to reach 100 billion dirhams.