Jordan launches complementary national welfare support programme ‘Takaful’

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Thursday launched the biggest national programme for social protection in the history of Jordan, at a cost of up to JD200 million, over the duration of three years.

The complementary support programme “Takaful”, is part of the national social protection strategy launched on Wednesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The strategy was launched by the premier with the aim of enhancing social protection and care directed to the underprivileged in Jordan, Razzaz had stated. 

The prime minister’s remarks came during a visit to the National Aid Fund (NAF), according to Petra.

NAF announced that it had started receiving applications from beneficiaries through the website reg.takmeely.jo as of Thursday for one month. 

To facilitate procedures for people, the fund launched 200 registration support units in various areas of the country, the news agency stated.

During the visit, Razzaz met with Social Development Minister Basma Ishaqat and NAF Director General Omar Mashaqbeh.

He stressed that the government launched one of the most important programmes of the national strategy for social protection that will benefit 140,000 families.

The prime minister praised the new mechanism adopted to check on families that qualify for the support and benefits of the plan.

He also underlined the importance of justice and transparency in the process to guarantee the delivery of support to beneficiaries, to address the poverty gap. 

For her part, Ishaqat, who is also chairperson of the NAF, said that the the ministry has been preparing to launch this programme for a year.

They have collected huge amounts of data from around 50 public departments, she added.

Family applicants will be classified from most to least needy, in accordance with the data, Ishaqat noted.

Additionally, the programme will not only provide financial support but will also include educational, health, transport and renewable energy bundles and services.  

In detail, Mashaqbeh said that 25,000 families will benefit from the direct cash support, 50,000 households will receive health insurance, 5,000 families will benefit from energy-saving projects, 10,000 will receive public transport services and 50,000 students will benefit from school food programmes that are directed to poor children.  

The director expressed hope that the programme can reduce the poverty percentage from its current rate of 15.7 per cent to 13.1 per cent by 2021.