‘Support for social security families’

The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) on Thursday shared its achievements, indicators, plans and future aspirations for the various sectors that the ministry served during an interaction session held under the auspices of Dr Laila al Najar, Minister of Social Development.

The ministry reviewed a number of its initiatives and future plans for the current year, such as the launch of the ‘Tasmu’ initiative which targets 50 women who hold supervisory positions in the government and private sectors and civil society institutions.

The initiative aims to advance the capabilities of Omani women and enhance their contributions to the comprehensive development process. Other future initiatives and plans of MoSD for the current year include building the early childhood system through the Integrated Early Childhood Development Centres project, developing guidelines for organising these centres, and improving the services provided to people with disabilities, such as starting to prepare the designs and construction of the Al Wafa Centre for the Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities in Wilayat of Bidiya and Manah.

Among the future plans is also the opening of the rehabilitation centre for persons with disabilities in Jaalan Bani Bu Ali, and the start of operating vocational rehabilitation units in each of the Wilayat of Salalah, Nizwa, Al Mudhaibi, Al Rustaq, and Bidbid, and the opening of the water therapy unit at the Al Wafa Centre for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the Wilayat of Ibri and Bahla.

In the field of digital transformation, MoSD discussed in its media meeting a number of services that have completed their digital transformation, such as social assistance, joint support services, community protection, facilities for persons with disabilities, nursery licenses, orphan care services, and elderly care services, as well as other services that are ongoing.

Dr Laila mentioned that there is Royal Directives to pay an additional pension to Social Security families, thus amounting to three additional pensions annually. It is worth noting that the total number of social security cases recorded by the end of 2023 was about 79,597 and the total amount of money disbursed to them during the same year amounted to RO 122,178,206.

She stated that the total number of cases of social security and people with limited income to whom relief, cash, in-kind, temporary, emergency, special, disaster and calamity assistance was provided during the past year was about 82,215, with a financial sum of RO 7,897,480.

Dr Laila said: “If we find a case against which a ruling was issued as a result of financial claims, we do not hesitate to support and assist it after studying and coordinating with charitable societies to ensure the protection of the family. Also, some cases in which there are financial claims may be the result of commercial, entertainment, and luxury purposes, so there must be a process of evaluation and review of these cases, and the type of debt is what determines elegibility.”