Thousands of social aid files suspended for lack of updates
KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind AlSabeeh stressed that reforming the social aid process would not stop, and that thousands of recipients’ files have been suspended for not updating their information, while 1,200 other citizens have been notified to update their files but had not responded so far. Speaking at an open discussion hosted at former MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah’s diwaniya, Sabeeh said social aid would only be given to those who deserve it. She added that on updating the information of any of the suspended files, the aid would be paid retroactively. Speaking about people with disabilities, Sabeeh said 41,000 disabled people and over 50 women are currently receiving legal monthly aid.
In another concern, Sabeeh said that as part of the 20-year development plan, the privatization committee is currently working on studying the possibility of privatizing 37 public sector projects, adding that the study would be over in three months. However, Sabeeh stressed that no decision had been made yet about privatizing Kuwait Airways, because the law currently in effect needs amendments to match the new economic policies and the government’s long-term development plan.
Meanwhile, Sabeeh expressed excitement over the appointment of 34 young Kuwaiti men and women at Huawei as part of plans to investment in human resources. “The Public Authority for Housing Welfare will soon start building ‘smart cities’ and we will then be ready with the youth being currently trained,” she said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh sent National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem a letter pertaining with the Ministry of Health’s request for increasing its 2016-2017 budget. Saleh said that in response to the parliamentary budgets and final statements committee request for some data about this matter, figures on the total number of patients sent for overseas treatment in 2016-2017 compared to those sent the previous year were only available at the ministry.
He added that he had asked for the same data to be provided to the finance ministry several times. Saleh said the ministry had exceeding the budget allotted for overseas treatment at the expense of other subcategories of its total budget without coordinating with the finance ministry.
Vietnam refinery
Final preparations to start operating secondary units at the Vietnam refinery are going according to schedule and it is expected to be launched next week, said informed sources, noting that the main units would be then launched. The sources added that the joint company running the project in Vietnam has already succeeded in operating 13 of the backup units. The sources added that the president of Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) Bakheet Al-Rashidi was closely following the project developments.