Cabinet to double number of beneficiaries of National Aid Fund by 2021

AMMAN — The Council of Ministers decided in its meeting on Monday, chaired by Prime Minister Hani Mulki, to double the number of beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund programme to include 85,000 new families between 2019 and 2021 at a cost of JD100 million.

The number of families currently benefiting from the fund is 92,000, and the total number of beneficiaries will gradually reach 177,000 over three years, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also decided to reduce the special tax imposed on the use of natural gas from 16 to 7 per cent.

The decision is aimed at supporting the industrial sector and reducing production costs, as well as encouraging industries to switch to natural gas for its energy needs.

The Cabinet also discussed the efforts exerted to strengthen and activate the decentralisation process, stressing in this regard the need for all ministries to expedite the delegation of the remaining authoritative powers to the heads of governorate councils.