AMMAN— The government has allocated JD448 million to conduct
to ease 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 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 towards paying
delayed dues to contractors, especially hospitals. It is expected 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, in addition to a JD25 million contribution by the Social
Security Investment Fund. The funds will help keep the “Istidama” program
designed to curb unemployment going up to the end of the year.
Meanwhile, JD60 million was allocated to expand the social
safety program, through 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, 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 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 percent 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 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 next week by concerned ministers.
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