Bahrain Labour Ministry find jobs for 26,344 citizens in 2021

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development announced giving jobs to 26,344 citizens in 2021 as part of the National Employment Programme.

The achievement, the ministry said, was part of a plan to create promising job opportunities and make citizens the first choice in the labour market.

The plan calls for employing 20,000 Bahrainis and training 10,000 citizens annually until 2024, the ministry said, as it outlined its achievements during 2021.

The achievements, the ministry said, are the outcomes of the support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

“The second edition of the National Employment Programme has been able to achieve its objectives by promoting care, rehabilitation, protection and social development for the various segments of society,” the ministry said.

The ministry said it is committed to implementing the Cabinet resolution to increase social security assistance and financial support for people with low incomes by 10% from January 2022.

Plans also focus on raising the standard of living for the neediest citizens, supporting and developing productive families, facilitating procedures for NGOs, and developing the skills of their members to carry out their assigned roles in social service and developmental charitable work.

On the Rehabilitation and training of citizens in the private sector, the ministry said it supported 12,841 job seekers until December 2021.

The ministry said it also signed 15 memoranda of understanding for virtual training and guidance programmes free of charge.

93 licensed private training centres

The ministry also announced having 93 licensed private training centres and institutes in the Kingdom, out of which 14 are professional and technical centres and 79 are administrative and commercial centres and institutes.

The ministry also licensed four training institutions and 651 training programmes, amounting to (100) local attendance programmes.

The ministry approved 211 local programmes, 315 international programmes, 25 palliative programmes in the National Qualifications.

The ministry employs 355 licensed trainers who verified 396 certificates and held 71 inspection visits. Labour ministry also held discussions with 78 investors for opening private training institutions.

28,000 unemployment beneficiaries

According to the latest statistics, there are 28,000 job seekers eligible for unemployment benefits until September 2021.

These compensations, the ministry said, are provided online, and job seekers, who got dismissed from work for reasons beyond their control, can update their data via the website.

Inspected 2,628 facilities

Until October last year, Labour ministry inspectors had carried out 2,628 visits to facilities with 168,386 workers.

There are 33,666 Bahraini workers and 134,720 foreign workers in these establishments.

The inspection campaigns resulted in issuing 68 violations and warnings.

Last year until November, the ministry also inspected 350 worksites and labour camps to enhance COVID-19 preventive measures.

During July and August summer work ban, the ministry visited 11,342 worksites, with 99.8% of the establishments complying with the ban.

Twenty-two establishments and 22 workers failed to comply with the ban.

On training programmes, the ministry said 11,792 job seekers took advantage of the programmes until December 2021.

The ministry signed 15 MoUs for free virtual training and mentorship programmes.

Labour disputes:

Labour Disputes Settlement Office at the ministry settled 1,652 cases last year, of which 805 cases were settlements within, and 757 are on hold.

During the same period, the labour consultations amounted to 5297, and the written responses to legal inquiries amounted to 215.

Responses by phone reached 12,165.

Created 62 entrepreneurs

The ministry converted 62 families and individuals into entrepreneurs and granted commercial registrations through the “Khotwa” Step Programme for Home Projects.

Those who obtained a home-based work permit within the step programme is 1,243.

16,588 families received Social security

The number of families and individuals benefitting from the social security assistance reached 16,588, until December 2021, the ministry said, adding social security rose 10% and will become effective this month.

The ministry also announced reducing the electricity and water consumption fees for 12,786 Bahraini families benefitting from social assistance until the end of November 2021.

Disability, fire-damage allowances

The ministry also distributed disability allowances until December 2021 at 100 dinars per month and assisted 12740 differently-abled people.

The ministry also compensated 54 families during the year for house fire-related damages.

128,298 got low-income support

The ministry said it paid financial support for low-income people to 128,298 until December 2021.

The ministry had hiked the amount by 10%, which will become effective this month.

Meat subsidy compensation touch BD28 million

Cash compensation dues were for lifting meat subsidies to 171,880 families until October 2021, with total disbursements amounting to more than 28 million Bahraini dinars.