Cash handouts for families hit by soaring prices

STATE HANDOUTS: Officials discuss an aid package for low paid Bahrainis that will pull the poorest families out of poverty.

The government Bahrain is planning to spend up to 40 million dinars ($107 million) on aid for families suffering from soaring prices in the kingdom.

MPs have suggested that families with a household income of under 1,500 dinars ($4,000) per month receive 50 dinars ($400) per month to help cope with the effects of inflation.

Parliament chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani told Bahrain's Gulf Daily News that nothing had been finalised, but MPs were backing the emergency aid package.

"The proposal, if approved, will be calculated from January, which means that families will be getting the allowance from now, even if the approval is delayed," he said.

The Bahrain cabinet will be presented with the suggestion from parliament on Sunday, and will rule on its implementation by Thursday next week.

Bahrain is considering the aid package at a time when inflation may finally be easing. Figures for December showed that annual inflation fell to 4.07%, compared to 4.87% in the year to November, according to the country's Central Informatics Organisation (CIO).

In November, housing costs rose 7.34%, and food, beverage and tobacco rose 9.3%, CIO data showed.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Exchange rate problems?
Posted by MMR, Dubai, UAE on Thursday 7 February 2008 at 09:14 UAE time


"families with a household income of under 1,500 dinars ($4,000) per month receive 50 dinars ($400) per month "
Will you please do the math ... what is the exchange rate for the BD, is it 0.375BD/$ or 0.125BD/$?

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