A man walks on the Corniche in the Mutrah district in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Silvia Razgova/The National
A man walks on the Corniche in the Mutrah district in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Silvia Razgova/The National
A man walks on the Corniche in the Mutrah district in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Silvia Razgova/The National
A man walks on the Corniche in the Mutrah district in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Silvia Razgova/The National

Oman to remove utility subsidies from next month

Low income earners will still be eligible for assistance

The National

December 20, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Oman's government will remove electricity and water subsidies for Omanis and residents from January 2021 as part of an effort to aid the sultanate's ailing economy.

The government will also end electricity and water subsidies for all government entities, private companies and industries.

The Ministry of Finance said there will be assistance for Omanis on low incomes, but those with an income of 1,250 rials ($3,247) a month and more must pay full rates.

  • The registration for expats to leave Oman without paying overstay fine runs from November 15 until December 31, 2020. Reuters
    The registration for expats to leave Oman without paying overstay fine runs from November 15 until December 31, 2020. Reuters
  • More than 7,500 expatriates have registered for a waiver to leave Oman without paying fines. Titus Varughese for The National
    More than 7,500 expatriates have registered for a waiver to leave Oman without paying fines. Titus Varughese for The National
  • The Hatta border crossing between the UAE and Oman. Satish Kumar / The National
    The Hatta border crossing between the UAE and Oman. Satish Kumar / The National
  • On Sunday, the Health Ministry announced 721 new Covid-19 cases and 15 deaths. Reuters
    On Sunday, the Health Ministry announced 721 new Covid-19 cases and 15 deaths. Reuters
  • Omani students wait in line to disinfect their hands before class amid the COVID-19 pandemic on November 1. AFP
    Omani students wait in line to disinfect their hands before class amid the COVID-19 pandemic on November 1. AFP
  • Construction workers are the biggest group leaving Oman. AFP
    Construction workers are the biggest group leaving Oman. AFP
  • The Health Ministry said that the number of patients in intensive care has dropped by 33 per cent to just 121 compared with a month ago. AFP
    The Health Ministry said that the number of patients in intensive care has dropped by 33 per cent to just 121 compared with a month ago. AFP
  • Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, on November 14, 2020, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
    Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, on November 14, 2020, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
  • Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, on November 14, 2020, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
    Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, on November 14, 2020, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB

"Omanis with lower incomes will continue paying the subsidised rate, as the government is still keen to maintain their quality of life without any interruption to their income, but there is no longer justification for higher earning individuals or companies and industries," the Ministry of Finance said on Sunday.

Lower income Omanis praised the government's exemption.

“We are very grateful for this decision. I don’t think I will be able to pay higher water and electricity bills, not from my income as a hotel security guard,” said Abdulkareem Al Siyabi, 43, who lives and works in Muscat.

“I have four children, and that means there is a total of six of us in the house.”

The government allocated $1.95 billion to water and electricity subsidies in the 2020 state budget.

The utility subsidy removal forms part of Oman’s efforts to cut spending and reduce state deficits as the economy struggles with low oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s state deficit is estimated at 2.8 billion rials ($7.27 billion).

Oman also plans to charge income tax on high earners, Omanis and residents. If it goes ahead, the sultanate will be the first country in the Gulf to do so. It has announced plans to impose a 5 per cent value added tax from the second quarter of 2021.

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match

BLACKBERRY
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Jay%20Baruchel%2C%20Glenn%20Howerton%2C%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

  • September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
  • October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
  • October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
  • November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
  • December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
  • February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
UAE players with central contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.

Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

While you're here

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

GCC