Cabinet reviews security situation, budget
Egypt, Politics, 2/21/2001

The Egyptian Cabinet, at a meeting Tuesday under Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, reviewed reports on the security situation, the general State budget and the investment budget for fiscal year 2001/2002 and the government's civil servants welfare programme.

Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Ahmed Abu Taleb, said the Cabinet listened to a report from Minister of Interior Habib A1 Adli on the security situation in which he stressed the stability of the security situation in the country as a result of : Ê

1- Police vigilance and development of techniques to follow up the sources of crime.

2- Cooperation and support of the masses and their initiatives in assisting police.

3- World confidence and support to efforts on realising stability.

4- Welcoming a European and an American decision to lift restrictions on travel.

5- World welcome of improving security on highways and completing extensions and development of the Aswan-Abu Simbel highway.

6- Lauding efforts of control agencies.

The Cabinet discussed the participation of ministries in drawing up the 2001/2002 budget. The Ministers presented draft budgets of their ministries in accordance with the following guidelines : ÊÊÊ To increase wages and pensions in order to augment the ability of civil servants to continue to face the cost of living.

To apply the incentives system for civil servants in order to bring about an increase in income related to an increase in production.

As regards expenditure of ministries:

To rationalise expenditure on electricity, water, fuel, cars and communications at all ministries. To ask the ministries to adhere to fixed figures as regards import as a maximum which should not be exceeded and to be fixed on the basis of average expenditure in the past three years.

To maintain subsidy within the limits of last year and to continue subsidy at the same value as regards bread, sugar, edible oil and passenger transport and consumption of electricity, drinking water, natural gas and butane gas.

As regards investments :

To give priority to the sectors of education, health, drinking water and branch roads leading to villages.

As regards assistance and covering losses of organizations:

To continue to give assistance to services organizations.

There should be an annual reduction of 25 percent in the losses of economic organization until these losses disappear completely in a period not exceeding five years.

As regards participation of ministries in drawing up the general plan for 2001/2002, it was decided that priority should be given in the plans of ministries as follows: ÊÊ

To make an inventory of projects being carried out and draw up a timetable to complete them as of next July so that those who will benefit may know when to expect to benefit.

To draw up a plan to fund these projects and defines funds required monthly in the coming year so that these funds may be provided monthly as second priority of new projects.

In drawing up these projects the following rules should be followed:

These projects should be defined beginning with the villages and districts. These projects will either add new services which do not exist or expand existing services.

To combine and classify projects according to governments and then according to the type attended by deputies and governors.

Feasibility and social studies for each project to be included in the plan should be presented to the Ministry of Planning and efforts should be made to check the accuracy of estimates made in these studies.

As regards civil servants warfare, the Cabinet agreed to carry out a government's civil servants welfare programme in the fields of health services of civil servants and their families by setting up health complexes which will be operated as follows: ÊÊÊ

Services to be provided by clinics:

- Examination of patients in all specializations.

- Overall checkup for those who wish to undergo such tests. To issue health cards and to give vaccinations.

- Work should be in two shifts.

- All medical specializations.

- The service shall be provided to the civil servant and his family .

- The number of clinics : 200 as a preliminary step. Investments: 200 million pounds. Current costs should cover all requirements. Life insurance for all civil servants: ÊÊÊ The next general budget will include an overall life insurance for all civil servants. A sum of 10,000 pounds will be paid when a civil servant dies or a monthly pension of 100 pounds. The plan is to be carried out as of July 1, 2001.

The Cabinet approved 5 international draft agreements prior to referring them to the People' Assembly including : ÊÊÊ

- A protocol signed by Egypt and Iraq to set up a free trade zone.

- A cooperation agreement between Egypt and Syria in the field of housing, utilities and urban communities.

- A technical cooperation agreement in the field of development and health between Egypt and Jordan.

- An agreement between Egypt and the American Development Fund under which it grants 1.5 million dollars to the health sector.

Previous Stories:
  Lieberman remarks are irresponsible, oblivious   (2/20/2001)
  Mubarak, Italian PM stress importance of European role in peace process   (2/20/2001)
  Mubarak, Ciampi urge Israel to show positive approach towards peace   (2/20/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search