Social assistance not to be reduced

Manama

 The Parliament's committee of services has yesterday rejected a bill that reduces the amount of social assistance given to poor families of five from the current 195 BD to 150 BD.

 The committee justified the decision by stating that the bill is built upon a law proposal by the parliament before the issuance of law number 18 of the year 2013, which amends the 9th Article of the 18th Law of the year 2006 regarding social security, raising it to 120 BD for families of 2, and 25 BD per individual for families with more members.

 The committee has clarified that the suggested sum to be given to every Bahraini head of household according to the text of the 9th Article in the bill as categories of monthly income from 300 to 1000 BD cannot be placed within the jurisdiction of the social security law.

 The 6th Article of the 18th Law of the year 2006 has listed conditions to qualify for social assistance, including that the person's income should be below the minimum required to supply basic life demands, in which case the assistance provided should supplement the income in order to meet these demands. Another condition is the absence of a capable relative obligated to spend on them.

 The text of the 9th Article of the Bill states that under no circumstances must the monthly social assistance be less than 100 BD for an individual, 150 BD for families of less than 5 members, and 200 BD for families that exceed 5 members.

 Every Bahraini head of household, who is a permanent resident of the kingdom of Bahrain merits social assistance in the following categories: 100 BD for those with incomes below 300 BD. 70 BD to those whose incomes ranging from 301 to 700 BD. 50 BD for those with incomes ranging from 701 to 1000 BD.

 The Ministry of Social Development has requested to postpone amendment requests to the mentioned law until the completion of the draft, which the ministry is seeking to set up based on the comprehensive study and evaluation of the law.

 It has also revealed that it is currently working on updating data of citizen beneficiaries of social assistance and financial support in order to create a new vision to reach the best standards in the interest of the citizen.