King Abdullah Announces New Initiatives to Improve Welfare Services for Saudis

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, during a televised speech, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz announced a series of royal decrees. These decrees will increase benefits, create new law enforcement jobs at the Ministry of Interior, provide funds for new housing projects, and expand healthcare facilities.

"King Abdullah has continuously demonstrated his commitment to his people through unprecedented reforms in all areas of their lives including housing, employment and healthcare," said Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir.

The royal decrees issued by King Abdullah include:

• Payment of two-month salary to all public civil and military personnel.
• Payment of two-month stipend to all public higher education students.
• Payment of SR 2,000 ($533) per month for job-seekers at the public and private sectors.
• Increase the minimum wage in the public sector to SR 3,000 ($800) per month.
• Construction of 500,000 residential units in all regions of the Kingdom and appropriating a total amount of SR 250 billion ($66.7 billion) for that project, which will be implemented under the supervision of the General Commission for Housing.
• Raised the maximum amount of interest-free loans issued by the Real Estate Development Fund from SR 300,000 ($80,000) to SR 500,000 ($133,333) per applicant.
• Established a National Commission on Combating Corruption, and appointed Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Shareef as its president at the rank of minister.
• Provision of SR 16 billion ($4.3 billion) to the Ministry of Health to implement and expand several medical projects in various regions.
• Raised the limit of financial assistance to private hospital from SR 50 million ($13.3 million) to SR 200 million ($53.3 million).
• Creation of 60,000 law enforcement jobs at the Ministry of Interior.

For more information on King Abdullah's initiatives, please visit www.saudiembassy.net and follow the Embassy on Twitter (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) or on the Embassy YouTube page.

SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office