Heads of Bahraini families earning up to BD2,000 ($5,303) a month could be eligible for subsidy payments made under a new social welfare system.

Legislators from the Shura Council and parliament yesterday agreed that the minimum subsidy payment should not be less than half of the monthly income, which are expected to be directed into people’s bank accounts by next month.

The decision made during a meeting of the National Assembly’s joint committee will be presented to the government for review during a negotiation meeting tomorrow.

Bahraini families qualify to receive between 50 per cent to 150 per cent of the salary of the main breadwinner every month depending on criteria that the government is currently drawing up after a consensus with legislators was reached last month.

A rough calculation, based on an agreed average family of four, is set to be presented by the government during tomorrow’s meeting.

“After the government accepted last month’s conditions that Bahraini families qualify to receive between 50 to 150 per cent of the salary of the main breadwinner on an average of four members, we have now come up with a maximum (income) for eligibility,” said parliament first vice-chairman Ali Al Aradi, who heads the legislative authority’s negotiating team.

“The maximum for eligibility will be BD2,000 a month based on breadwinners with the condition that the minimum payment should be half of that earned.

“Negotiations on implementation, the mechanism and charts will be agreed with the government in the next few days, while the government will have to present us with the costs depending on what each family would be entitled to receive.

“The government last month asked for time to amend the proposed criteria we have set, besides them working on a demo plan on how payments will be made in each category and to whom.”

Negotiations between the government and the National Assembly over the social welfare system and subsidy overhaul started on January 15.

The new-look benefit system will involve a single monthly payment, which will be calculated on the circumstances of recipients.

Disability

It is designed to target the most deserving cases, with the National Assembly also wanting to limit disability allowances to only people with severe and medium cases – unlike the current system in which every person with a disability qualifies for an allowance.

Meanwhile, calls to exclude Bahrainis with dual nationalities and those who have received the Bahraini nationality less than five years ago have been put on hold for future consideration.

MPs had earlier threatened to veto the new subsidy and social welfare system unless Bahrainis were compensated for January’s surprise petrol price increase, but the Cabinet said no such payouts will be forthcoming.

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