The minimum subsistence level in the first quarter of this year was 1,315.3 lei on average per person, an increase of 15.2% compared with the fourth quarter of 2007, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on July 8. According to the NBS, the rise was determined by the level of food prices and by the share of expenses for the non-food basket (the cost of non-food products and services). The minimum subsistence level in urban areas was 1,418.6 lei, as against 1,242.7 lei in rural areas. The difference was 175.9 lei (14.2 %) owing to the dissimilar structure of the consumption-related expenses. In urban areas, the non-food basket made up 48.1% of the minimum subsistence level, while in rural areas – 39.0%. On average per country, this figure was 43.5%. By categories of people, the highest value of the minimum subsistence level was recorded for the working population, especially men – 1,471.7 lei. The monthly child allowance was 1,221.4 lei a month on average, depending on the age of the child - from 480.7 lei for a child younger than one year to 1,343.2 lei for a child aged 7-16. The minimum subsistence level for pensioners was 1,120.7 lei. This is 85.2% of general average value. The average monthly pension on April 1, 2008 was 550.3 lei, making up 49.1% of the minimum subsistence level. The incomes of the largest part of the salary earners were higher than the minimum subsistence level for the people able to work. The salaries in the financial sector exceeded the minimum subsistence level about 3.5 times, while in construction, transport and communications – 2.5 times. The situation of the employees working in agriculture and forestry remains a problem as the salaries paid in these sectors makes up only 81.2% of the minimum subsistence level, the communiqué says. According to a study of households’ budgets, the available incomes of the population in the first quarter of this year totaled 1.094.1 lei on average per person. In real terms, this figure rose by 7.9%.