Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (AHN) – Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah returned home Wednesday after months of recuperation abroad and immediately ordered an increase in social benefits for citizens.
The king, who underwent spinal surgery in the U.S. in November and stayed in New York and Morocco to recuperate, issued royal decrees increasing the country’s development fund and the state bank’s capital to provide more interest-free loans for use in building homes, getting married or starting up a business.
Abdullah also increased the social insurance fund and the number of beneficiaries to 15 from eight per family. He allocated $933 million in assistance for the poor so they can repair their homes and pay utility bills. Another $320,000 was allocated for vocational training courses for women to increase employment of the youth.
A foreign scholarship program was extended for five more years while salaries and benefits of government workers were increased 15 percent.
The king vowed to tackle youth unemployment that currently stands at 40 percent.
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