GUDAIBIA PALACE: The Kingdom of Bahrain to withdraw the subsidy on meat from August 1st, 2015, according to the Cabinet.
The cabinet on Monday discussed the implementation of a new mechanism aiming to ensure that government meat subsidies will benefit the citizens only.
Under the scheme, meat will not be sold at subsidised prices, and the citizens will, in return, receive cash compensations through an electronic system that is currently being prepared by the Ministry of Social Development, in collaboration with the Central Informatics Organsiation (CIO) and the e-Government Authority.
The meat-subsidy compensations, to be counted according to the age category of the members of the Bahraini family, will take effect on August 1, 2015.
The session reviewed recommendations presented by Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditures Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa in this regard. It endorsed a number of immediate measures and decisions aiming to cut expenses, increase revenues, re-direct subsidies, reduce the cost of government services and merge government bodies. Once put into effect, these initiatives and programmes will earn the country an estimated amount of BD386 million.