DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has issued directives that the allowances for the beneficiaries of social security be raised.
The Emir has asked the State Cabinet to take necessary measures in this regard, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported yesterday.
According to Al Sharq, it is likely the allowances may be doubled from the current QR2,250 ($617.87) on average to between QR4,000 and QR5,000 a month. The daily said that in some poor families, women get monthly social security allowance of QR900 each, while children get QR540 each. These doles will now increase. According to the daily, the above details are from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
Quoting the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, the daily said there were a total of 13,774 beneficiaries of social security by August 2014. The beneficiaries fall into 10 categories that include widows, divorcees, orphans and senior citizens, among others.
Several citizens, in comments posted on social media, have welcomed the decision to increase social security allowance for the deserving. One of them said that aside from taking good care of its people, especially those that need help, the state has emerged as a role model in this regard for other GCC countries.
Meanwhile, the cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, ratified a draft law on the issuance of a safety manual for small cargo ships that are not covered by international maritime treaties in GCC states, and submitted it to the Advisory Council.
The draft law includes provisions on the implementation of the manual and means of inspecting vessels and issuing and renewing safety certificates as well as ships’ safe equilibrium, fire prevention, rescue equipment, wireless communication, navigation safety and pollution prevention. The cabinet ratified a draft decree annulling Decree No. 19 of 2007 on some sports authorities to bring under the umbrella of the Ministry of Youth and Sports each of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, Qatar Marine Sports Federation, the Qatari Camel Race Organizing Committee, and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.
The cabinet ratified the minister of interior’s draft decision to amend some provisions of Decision No. 8 of 2010 to set the country’s entry and exit ports. The amendment adds Hamad International Airport (HIA) to the airports, making them four, namely: Doha Airport, Al Khor Airport, Al Udeid Airport and HIA.
The Peninsula/QNA
