Self-employed citizens eligible for marriage grants

Agrant designed to help young couples bear the burden and cost of marriage and to encourage citizen-to-citizen marriages, is also extended to self-employed Emiratis including farmers and fishermen, Dr Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairman of the Marriage Fund, told the Federal National Council yesterday.

Hamad Al Rahoumi asked Dr Al Shamsi why self-employed citizens, who are not registered with the General Pensions and Social Security Authority, are denied access to marriage grants. The minister said if self-employed Emiratis meet the criteria, they are given the marriage grant.

The initiative grants Dh70,000 to grooms — traditionally responsible for bearing the cost of the wedding — who meet the criteria. The condition of the grant is that the applicant must be marrying a compatriot.

Al Rahoumi put another question to Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, about the marketing of products of small businesses run by Emiratis.

Al Mansouri said the government continued to create a suitable environment for the growth of small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) across the country. “Our teams are exerting efforts to enhance the competitive advantages of these projects in local markets,” the minister said.

Certain privileges

The government, semi-government and private entities provide certain privileges to SMEs to contribute to the development of various sectors, he said.

Marwan Bin Galita, a member from Dubai, put a question to Mariam Mohammad Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, on measures to facilitate registering of abandoned children.

But the question was delayed because the minister did not show up.

The law protects and takes in all children born to unknown parents. Law No. 1 of 2012 states that any child found in the UAE born to unknown parents is eligible to acquire Emirati nationality. However, if any one of the parents is known, the child is given his or her nationality and temporarily looked after by the community development authority until they are adopted. If any of the parents is in jail, the authority will also temporarily look after the child until the parent is released.