Premier Tang Fei (唐飛) yesterday said the government needed to bring forward the "original date of 2004" to launch the national pension program, but ruled out a 2001 start.
The Premier added that the Executive Yuan would finalize the program as soon as possible before submitting it to the Legislative Yuan for review.
Chances that the national pension program will be launched next year are meager, however, because, he said, the government needs to do some careful financial planning before its launch.
Tang made the remark amid reports that the Executive Yuan might propose a deal whereby the plan would start in 2001 in return for lawmakers' support for its version of a bill on the separate matter of stipends for the elderly.
The bill, expected to go through its first reading in the legislature today and to be reviewed by the Health, Environment and Social Welfare Committee on Thursday, was raised to realize a campaign promise of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Under the Executive Yuan's proposal, elderly citizens of 65 and above would be eligible for a monthly stipend of NT$3,000 starting July 1 this year as long as they have not enjoyed other government-funded subsidies or retirement pensions.
Those whose annual incomes exceed NT$500,000 and who own over NT$5 billion worth of property would also be disqualified from the stipends.
Legislators, however, have submitted various proposals to amend eligibility qualifications. The majority KMT caucus proposes no restrictions on eligibility: All Aborigines of 55 years and above would be eligible, and non-Aborigines would qualify as long as they were 65-years-old and above.
According to official statistics, if the KMT's proposal is adopted, the government will need to spend around NT$50 billion per year on the program, and the beneficiaries will total 1.4 million people. The figures are much higher than those in the Executive Yuan's proposal, in which NT$14 billion per year will be needed and 390,000 people will benefit.
* The program will start after 2001 and before 2004.
* Elderly citizens 65 years old and above would be eligible for a monthly stipend of NT$3,000.
* All Aborigines of 55 years and above would be eligible.
* Non-Aborigines would qualify as long as they were 65 years old and above.
* Those whose annual incomes exceed NT$500,000 and who own over NT$5 billion worth of property would be disqualified.
In light of the number of legislative seats controlled by the KMT, it is likely that the KMT's proposal will be pushed through unless compromises are reached in inter-party negotiations.
Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清), convener of the DPP caucus in the legislature, said his caucus will today discuss with Executive Yuan representatives the possibility of integrating the elderly stipend program with the national pension scheme.
Cheng said the national pension scheme should take priority because it is a most important piece of social welfare legislation.
The KMT caucus, however, said the DPP's proposal is unacceptable.
Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), director of the KMT's legislative affairs committee, said the two programs were different in nature and should not be confused.
"The national pension is a form of insurance, while the elderly stipend is part of a social welfare program," Tseng said.
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