Cutting down expenses

TDT | Manama

The Cabinet decided yesterday to reduce the operational expenses budget for ministries and government by 30 per cent, unless public interests require otherwise.

This came during the weekly Cabinet session, held remotely yesterday, chaired by His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier.

The Cabinet also agreed to reschedule a number of construction and consulting projects in order to absorb the emergency expenses devoted to limiting the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This is within the ceiling of the general expenses budget for the fiscal year 2020, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance in the memorandum presented by the Deputy Premier and committee chairman.

The session was informed, through a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Finance and National Economy, on the amounts spent from the emergency funds allocated by the Cabinet for dealing with the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic so far.

HRH the Prime Minister orders study of postponement of citizens’ dues to the government

HRH the Premier requested the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance to study considering the postponement of the collection of some citizens’ dues to the government, and to submit a report on the move’s financial impacts, in addition to the implementation mechanism.

Economic stimulus package to cover taxi drivers

HRH the Prime Minister ordered to include taxi drivers in the beneficiaries of the government economic stimulus package, in order to support their living needs amid the exceptional circumstances resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19.

HRH the Premier requested the Ministry of Finance and National Economy to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and take the necessary procedures.

Government keen on citizens’ needs, says HRH the Prime Minister

HRH the Premier affirmed that, upon directives of His Majesty the King, the government is keen on directing all its ministries and departments to adopt measures that facilitate the citizens’ living matters and meet their service needs, stressing that the government will continue this approach despite all challenges.

Two civil service-related draft edicts endorsed

The session approved two draft edicts related to the civil service – the first amending the provisions of the executive regulation of the Civil Service Law with the aim of organising the promotion of employees who are subject to salary deduction and the granting of special leave without pay; with the second amending the regulation for determining salaries, job benefits and their entitlement terms.

Parliamentary proposals

The Cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives to study the cases of individuals and families subject to social security with overdue electricity bills, before the disconnection of services.

The aim is to ensure the continued electricity services to social insurance beneficiaries’ cases who are unable to pay their bills. The session also endorsed the allocation of a land lot in the northern area for a market and an auction facility for livestock keepers.

The Cabinet endorsed the government’s reply to a proposal on building multi-storey parks at services ministries; and also approved the government’s response to a proposal on making practical training at mosques or endowments a mandatory requirement for graduation from religious institutes.