Government Expresses Reservations Over Proposed Law Unifying Direct Support for Low-Income Families

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahraini government has expressed reservations over a bill proposed by the House of Representatives aimed at unifying all forms of direct support for low-income families under a single law. The bill also introduces new allowances while proposing the removal of subsidies from certain sectors. The government has urged the House to reconsider the bill.

The proposed law aims to allocate annual government support in various areas, including "cost of living allowance, retirement allowance, meat and poultry allowance, flour allowance, housing allowance, electricity and water support, and fuel subsidies."

In a memorandum to the House of Representatives, the government stated that it is continuously reviewing and studying support programmes to ensure the efficient delivery of support to eligible recipients. The government affirmed that the goal of the proposed law is already being achieved.

Moreover, the government emphasised its commitment to enhancing the efficiency and fairness of government support, ensuring it reaches the most deserving individuals.

Furthermore, the government highlighted its significant efforts in establishing a comprehensive social protection system for Bahraini citizens, particularly for the most vulnerable groups, through various support programmes.

The government further explained that it has reviewed social support programmes to guarantee their reach to eligible citizens. This included unifying the disbursement dates for various cash support programmes, maximising the benefits for citizens by receiving all support payments simultaneously.

Regarding the government's reservations, the memorandum stated that the proposed law is unnecessary as its objectives are already being met. It also pointed out that the bill would increase the budget deficit and disrupt the Financial Balance Programme agreed upon by the legislative and executive branches.

The government stressed that the proposed law would necessitate a budget amendment as it impacts government expenditures. "This would require the government to allocate additional funds to cover the increased allowances and provisions outlined in the bill, which are currently not budgeted. This necessitates agreement with the government according to Article 109 (b) of the Constitution and Article 25 of Decree-Law No. (39) of 2002 concerning the General Budget," the Government stated.