Baghdad – IA – Muhammad Al-Talbi
Today, Thursday, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs clarified the most important services provided to those included in the social protection network, and while revealing shopping discounts of up to 40% for four categories starting next month, it indicated the continuation of the “Arzaq” service and the imminent launch of the “Tawaf” service.
The head of the Social Protection Authority in the Ministry, Ahmed Khalaf Al-Musawi, told the (INA): “The Prime Minister issued important directives in the last meeting with the Ministry of Labor regarding the Social Protection Authority, which included the continuation of student scholarships with some improvements to the procedures that the Ministry must take.” Education through marking attendance for the amounts intended for the year 2023, which were 200 billion dinars.”
Al-Mousawi added, “It is expected that the student grant will continue to be disbursed for the ongoing academic year within the year 2024, until the end of the exams, which will be the end of the fifth month, as it has been disbursed so far retroactively for three months (10, 11, and 12), and the amount has reached approximately 197 billion dinars.” For one million and 850 thousand students.
He pointed out, “The file that is considered the most important and best for those included in the social protection network is the continuation of granting the food basket within the year 2023 from the Ministry of Commerce, as the Prime Minister directed that the share be double, with the citizen taking one share and those included in the social protection network taking two shares until the end of the month.” Pointing out that “the food basket will continue to be distributed within the year 2024, as it will be in successive operations during the first and second months.”
He continued, “We are continuing boycott operations and networking with the Ministry of Commerce, as we were able to smoothly transfer data and prepare quotas, and at the beginning of the second month there will be a new entry into the Ministry of Labor in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce by supporting shopping operations for those included in the social protection network, and they will receive a 40% discount.” % as well as for the disabled and 30% for widows and orphans, down to 10% for families with no income for their shopping lists.”
He pointed out, “These measures will affect the market, as they will raise the ceilings for social protection so that people can exceed the poverty line by providing their livelihood.”
Al-Mousawi also confirmed, “Continuing to grant loans to those who are able to work within the current procedures of the Social Protection Authority, as the year 2023 ended with the delivery of more than 2,800 loans within the livelihood service, and it is expected that they will continue, given that we have amounts from the current year of 100 billion within the new budget, and we will also obtain Another 100 billion, and also in 2025 there are 100 billion dinars allocated.”
He continued, “All these amounts for the Arzaq service will continue normally, in addition to many services, including (the threshold service) to cover the costs of visiting the thresholds for those included in the social protection network, as the first meal was launched last week, in cooperation with the Shiite Endowment, and we are also preparing to launch (Tawaf service) to send them to Umrah.”