Higher governorate allocations reflect Royal commitment to welfare

MUSCAT: The Royal orders to increase the allocations for the Governorate Development Programme to RO 270 million during the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan (2026–2030) confirm the Supreme commitment to enhancing social welfare and ensuring balanced regional development. This financial boost supports the expansion of the programme’s projects, aims to maximise investment and economic returns, and builds upon the successes of the Tenth Five-Year Plan in stimulating economic activity, creating jobs and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Said bin Rashid al Qutbi, Director General of Social Sectors at the Ministry of Economy, explained that the programme translates the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
Originally launched in 2022 with an annual allocation of RO 4 million per governorate, the programme has become a cornerstone for comprehensive development by utilising the natural resources and comparative advantages of each region.
Al Qutbi noted that the programme has significantly contributed to the goals of Oman Vision 2040 by strengthening administrative, financial and economic autonomy for governorates, encouraging the local private sector and improving the investment and tourism attractiveness of governorates and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities through localised projects.
Data reveals significant progress in project implementation and community impact up to the second half of 2025 with the number of completed and ongoing projects rose from 941 at the end of 2024 to 1,089 projects by mid-2025.
Total spending reached RO 127 million between 2021 and November 2025 while 950 contracts were awarded to small and medium enterprises.
The programme generated 1,400 direct job opportunities and 428 indirect jobs by the end of last year.
The programme covers a wide range of sectors aimed at improving infrastructure and quality of life. Sixty projects are focusing on waterfronts, viewpoints, and water spring developments, alongside 67 festivals and tourism events. As many as 162 projects are for parks and healthy walkways, and 80 projects for markets, slaughterhouses and kiosks. As many as 259 projects are for general maintenance and land levelling, 125 are for road lighting and 97 for internal and industrial road paving.
Twenty projects are dedicated to rainwater drainage and flood protection.
With the onset of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), the Ministry of Economy is collaborating with stakeholders to introduce 20 new strategic programmes. These will focus on building smart cities, integrating rural and urban development and enhancing spatial justice. Key enablers already in place include the Governorate Competitiveness Index and an interactive platform that monitors performance across 61 indicators.
Furthermore, training programs have empowered 50 local officials in spatial and financial planning to ensure that the increased budget is managed effectively through partnerships with the private sector. This comprehensive momentum reflects Oman's steady progress toward economic diversification and long-term social stability.

ROYAL ORDERS ISSUES TO AMEND SOCIAL PROTECTION LAWS:
The Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to amend the provisions of certain social protection schemes reaffirm the government's established approach to developing the social protection system, enhancing the fairness of entitlement, and improving the efficiency of directing benefits to the most eligible. This aligns with economic and social changes and places the individual and the family at the forefront of national priorities.
The Royal directives aim to regulate support for societal groups, particularly the most vulnerable, ensuring that support is directed equitably to those entitled to it. They take into account the circumstances of low-income families, women, widows and divorcees, guarantee no harm to beneficiaries and enhance procedural control.
They ensure the continuity of disbursements according to approved regulations and the integration of verification mechanisms and data exchange. This framework safeguards rights, ensures proper implementation and solidifies principles of transparency and justice, thereby enhancing confidence in the system and reassuring beneficiaries.
The Royal blessings included amendments to the provisions of certain social protection schemes.
The monthly Senior Citizens Scheme (for those aged 60 and above) of RO 115 will continue to be disbursed to beneficiaries whose monthly income is RO 1,020 or less. For beneficiaries whose monthly incomes exceed RO 1,020 but are less than RO 1,250, their entitlement will be progressively reduced. Furthermore, individuals whose income reaches RO 1,250 or higher will no longer be eligible for the benefit.
The Royal blessings also stipulated that child support payments and children's shares from pensions shall not be counted as part of the family income of a widow or divorcee when calculating the Household Income Support Scheme.
Additionally, the calculation of equivalent income based on work capability for determining the Household Income Support Benefit has been abolished for a number of cases. These cases include: unmarried women who are 40 years of age or older; divorced women with children who are 40 years of age or older; divorced women with children not in their custody; and widows without children. The maximum benefit for these cases will be set at RO 115 per month instead of RO 80.
The Royal blessings further included adding daughters and divorced women who lost their fathers, aged between 31 and 39 years, to the cases considered as independent families for the purpose of eligibility for the Household Income Support Scheme.
Additionally, the Royal blessings included adding parents as eligible beneficiaries for the death pension, provided the deceased insured person has no other eligible dependents from the categories of spouse or children. In the absence of parents, grandparents shall be considered in their stead.
These Royal directives contribute to achieving the objectives of the social protection system, which serves as a cornerstone of societal stability and comprehensive national development, fulfilling the purpose for which this national system was established. - ONA