The government announced yesterday that families with mothers who gave birth to multiple babies will be paid TL 150 ($27.61) per child monthly.

Addressing the budget committee of the Parliament in Ankara yesterday, Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk outlined plans for more funds to disadvantaged families. Selçuk said families with twins or more children born at multiple births will be handed monthly payments until the children reach the age of 2.

Selçuk said the state would also pay a fraction of electricity bills for households where patients on life support live.

Another payment will be for successful students. Students who made it to the top 10 in their cities in nationwide exams organized by the Education Ministry will be entitled to TL 500 monthly, while students who made it to the top 1,000 in nationwide university exams will be handed TL 5,000 one time, Selçuk said. All payments will be available for the children of impoverished families only.