Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan revealed that 151 families deserve to be granted subsidies on meat products, adding that the number is growing as families who fit the requirements continue to register.

Concerning the social assistance services offered by the government to citizens in need, Humaidan suggested that there is a possibility that the services will be unified and merged.

According to the Al-Bilad newspaper close to the Prime Minister, the minister said: "If the various offered assistance services to a person are added up, you will find that the sum will exceed a working person's salary."

In a response to a question on reasons behind not adopting the studies presented by the World Bank to specify the poverty line in Bahrain, Humaidan said: "The World Bank study noted that there are many social assistance services offered in Bahrain and many of which are granted without taking the poverty line into consideration."

He further stated that the study recommended unifying the offered assistance services, yet many parliament members rejected this idea, since many people "in need" will not be considered to be in need of assistance anymore. "On the international level, organizations see that assistance should be offered as temporary help in order to overcome a certain condition, but the situation in Bahrain in different," he added.

Arabic Version