Bahrain’s Cabinet has decided to reduce the operational expenses budget for ministries and government by 30% unless public interests require otherwise.
According to a Bahrain News Agency (BNA) report, a Cabinet meeting on April 20, chaired by HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, also agreed to reschedule a number of construction and consulting projects so as to absorb the emergency expenses devoted to limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
This is done 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 chairman.
The session was also 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. This is in line with Article 11 of the Decree-Law on the Budget which stipulates that the minister shall provide a detailed report to the Cabinet on the emergency funds one month after their spending, the BNA report explained.
Furthermore, 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 pandemic.
HRH Premier requested the Ministry of Finance and National Economy to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and take the necessary procedures.
HRH 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.
The Premier also requested the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance to study 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, the BNA report concluded.
ME Construction News
21/04/2020
