Muscat: The Social Protection Fund will begin disbursing benefits for children, the elderly, people with disabilities, orphans, and widows starting this month, making the New Year more exciting.
The total number of people registered in the social protection system as of Sunday reached 1,093,461 eligible persons including 147,407 elderly, 910,607 children, 9,168 orphans, 6,582 widows, and 19,697 persons with disabilities.
From this month, monthly assistance of RO115 will be extended to Omani residents who are 60 years or older. Also, RO10 per month will be given to Omani children under 18 years of age residing in the country.
In addition, the government – through the Social Protection Fund (SPF) – is extending financial support of RO130 per month to each person living with some sort of permanent disability or illness that requires constant support and care. Widows and orphans are also entitled to monthly support of RO80 per month.
Under the Orphans and Widows Benefits programme, the government provides monthly financial support to help people facing challenges resulting from the loss of their family’s breadwinner.
“Being one of the basic pillars of any country, the social protection system aims to provide support and care for the neediest groups, improve the quality of life of individuals, and meet their basic needs in the field of health care, housing, education, and income,” an official from Social Protection Fund said.
There is no doubt that the social protection policies and its system is one of the issues on which the new development model of the Sultanate of Oman is based. It will contribute to better directing social benefits and assistance to the neediest groups, and at the same time, it is consistent with the development of specific groups and enabling them to move to a good quality of life.
Through the implementation of these benefits, social stability and social solidarity in society will be enhanced. “The upcoming entitlements reflect the priority of the citizen in the lofty vision, and the concern and keenness of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to provide a decent life and safe living for the citizen,” said Adnan Rashid, a 63-year-old citizen who will be among the beneficiaries.
Since the very first day of his rule, His Majesty the Sultan confirmed his sincere endeavor to set up a new phase of Oman’s renewed Renaissance that meets the requirements of the upcoming period and fulfills the aspirations of the Omani people as well as preserve the achievements that took place over the past five decades.
“The social protection system comes at a defining stage in the history of the Sultanate of Oman, as it will eliminate some of the challenges that people were facing. Such benefits, including the benefits for children under 18, will directly benefit the citizen and the country at large,” said Khalfan al Obaidan, a father of six children.
The Social Protection Fund, established by Royal Decree No 33/2021, supervises social protection programmes that generate cash benefits for all categories.
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