Beneficiaries of social security all over the Kingdom have urged the new appointed Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Yusuf Bin Ahmed Al-Othaimin to address their grievances on an urgent basis. The beneficiaries appealed to the minister to ensure payment of the aid on time and also asked for raising the aid from SR6,000 to SR8,000. “The financial assistance I get yearly is just SR6,000 which is not enough to meet my basic needs taking into account the rise in the cost of living,” a beneficiary, Khalaf Al-Qa'dani, said. Mohammed Al-Amri and Sa'eed Al-Omari, both social security beneficiaries, urged the minister to work out a plan to exempt poor segments of the society from paying electricity bill and bear the expenses for the treatment of some disabled patients. Elderly people in Tabuk including Mohammed Al-Anezi, 90, urged the minister to probe the needs of the elderly people because in most cases they are obliged to follow up their transactions in government agencies. He suggested special counters for elderly people in government agencies. Abdul Rahman Al-Oqaili, who is a specialist in civil society, said one of the most important issues that the minister should give due attention is the treatment of beneficiaries. He said despite significant improvement in the procedure, poor citizens are finding it tough to get treatment at the referred hospitals. He suggested medical insurance cover to beneficiaries of social security. Mohammed Al-Matter, another beneficiary, said inflation and price hikes constitute a heavy burden on the limited income group. He called upon the minister to speed up procedures for the establishment of cooperative societies and also to introduce food supply cards to the beneficiaries of social security so that needy families can get food supplies free of charge periodically. - Okaz __
