Oman Daily Observer

‘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.”