Gov’t to dispense cash subsidy, effect hikes next week

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Monday announced that the cash subsidy will be dispensed to eligible beneficiaries in the last week of this month.  

Following that, the new prices of commodities whose subsidies were lifted will go into effect, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.  

The financial compensation is part of a JD171 million social safety network fund included in the 2018 budget.

Military and civil service employees and retirees and Social Security Corporation pensioners will receive the funds in their bank accounts, while the Cabinet has set a detailed system for other categories to register and receive the cash, estimated at JD27 per person annually. 

Meanwhile, each beneficiary of the National Aid Fund will receive JD33 next week, as decided by the Cabinet in its Monday session.

Authorities will also announce simultaneously the upper limit of bread price, to take effect on the day following the distribution of subsidies. 

The Council of Ministers stressed that concerned agencies will "persistently" monitor the amounts, quality, weight and price of bread, and will not allow manipulating prices, emphasising that stiffened penalties will be imposed on violators.