AMMAN — The government has allocated JD448 million worth
of measures mitigate the economic hardships resulting from COVID-19, entailing
a package of plans in various sectors.
اضافة اعلان
At a press conference Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Bisher
Al-Khasawneh and Cabinet ministers announced that the mitigation plan has not
affected the budget deficit, with Finance Minister Mohammad Al-Ississ announcing that the Ministry
of Planning and International Cooperation has exerted efforts to secure grants
from donor countries to help address the crisis.
The
largest portion of the total sum will go toward paying delayed dues to
contractors, especially hospitals, expecting that the JD240 million earmarked
for this purpose will help reinvigorate the market.
Another
big chunk, JD113 million, is meant to sustain jobs in the private sector, with
an additional JD25 million contribution by the Social Security Investment Fund
for that purpose. The funds will help sustain the “Istidama” program designed
to curb unemployment and will extend until the end of the year.
Meanwhile,
JD60 million was allocated to expand the social safety-net program by
increasing the number of households that receive direct cash support from the
government by 60,000, raising the total number to 160,000.
The
government will also create temporary jobs for thousands of young people and
fresh graduates, including 2,500 for nurses, who will be employed temporarily
in anti-Covid programs, such as the nation-wide vaccination program, at a cost
of JD10 million.
The
officials also said that Jordan has entered in contract worth JD70 million to
secure vaccines.
Thousands
will also be hired in maintenance projects targeting archaeological sites and
tourism destinations. The state will also help find jobs in the IT sector and
will pay 50 per cent of the wages.
Further
measures have to mitigate the pressure of loans owed to government funds,
raising the upper limit of credit facilities extended to farmers, slashing by
half the licensing fees on public transport vehicles and fines related to guest
workers’ work permits, among others.
Minister
of State for Media Affairs Sakher Dudin said details will be announced over the
course of the coming week by concerned ministers.
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