Newspapers: Social Insurance, Military Retirement Laws Promote Social, Economic, Human Development

Doha, April 20 (QNA) - Qatari newspapers underlined that the decisions issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani increasing the pensions of retirees, and the social insurance and military retirement laws launch a new era aimed at promoting social, economic and human development, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2018-2022, which are in the interest of social and family stability. In their editorials on Wednesday, the newspapers stressed that these laws affirm that the State of Qatar gives priority to Qatari citizens and human being in general, and is keen to achieve a decent life for them, noting that the new retirement system in the country is one of the most generous retirement systems around the world, as it grants high insurance benefits compared to the minimum and maximum for the pension, service duration, the percentage of contributions and other conditions of pension entitlement. Lusail newspaper considered that the Amiri decision No. 1 of 2022 issuing the Social Insurance Law, Law No. 2 of 2022 regarding military retirement, and Amiri decision No. 18 of 2022 increasing retirees' pensions, constitute a qualitative leap and a major development in addressing the conditions of retired citizens, while ensuring a decent life for them in implementation of HH the Amir's lofty directives, in accordance with the provisions of the permanent constitution of the State of Qatar. The paper noted the various procedures included in the retirement and pensions law, raising the minimum pension to QR 15,000 for civilian and military retirees, with the addition of a special allowance of QR 4,000 for all current retirees. The paper also said that the decision excluded a female employee from reducing the pension in the event of resignation to care for a child with a disability, with the inclusion of self-employed people such as lawyers and doctors with voluntary insurance coverage, which came in line with the strategic vision of the State of Qatar 2030, especially with regard to the pillar related to human development. The newspaper clarified that the law also allows the owner of the pension to combined between the pension due for service in a government entity and the salary of a job in the private sector, noting that this will have positive effects in the medium and long term. These measures within the law will have a direct impact on the private sector's contribution to the development of the national economy and raising its contribution to the State's domestic product, especially since the country has given this file during the last seven years the highest priority, in an effort to shift from the oil-based economy towards a diversified economy, the paper said. In conclusion, Lusail said that these laws emphasize that the State of Qatar is keen to achieve a decent life for citizens, as the new retirement system in the State of Qatar is one of the most generous retirement systems around the world. For its part, Al-Sharq newspaper said that the decision issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, increasing the pensions of retired individuals, comes as an affirmation of the State's policy which considers the Qatari person to be the most precious resource, the centerpiece and goal of development. The Qatari daily newspaper pointed out that the real value of the decision is not only that it enables the retired individuals to meet the increasing requirements of daily life, but it represents an incentive for the new generations to raise the value of work and make effort to raise the country and face challenges with solidity and conviction that the rights are preserved and protected in the coming days. The paper said that increasing the pensions of retired individuals and military personnel represents a fulfillment of the ambitions to become no less than QR 15,000, with the addition of a special housing allowance of QR 4,000 for all current retirees. The newspaper affirmed that these measures considered as an advanced step that makes the retirees feel appreciated and pushes them to give more in the fields of owning expertise and providing advice as well as giving confidence to the new generations in building the desired future of the State. Al-Sharq also said that the decision excluded a female employee from reducing the pension in the event of resignation to care for a child with a disability, praising this item which represents a glimpse of humanity that deserves appreciation. The newspaper said that the positives of the decision extended to the inclusion of self-employed people such as lawyers and doctors with voluntary insurance coverage, the matter that considers an increase in appreciation of retirees from all sectors. The paper said that allowing the owner of the pension to combined between the pension due for service in a government entity and the salary of a job in the private sector, remained a demand for citizens and was achieved in this decision, in addition to increasing the percentage of the widow's share to 100% of the pension in the absence of other beneficiaries. Al-Sharq pointed out that the State of Qatar has achieved distinguished international classifications in the areas of human development, attention to citizens, income rates, reduced crime, fighting corruption, education level, in addition to transparency, control, institutionalization and rule of law, as well as the areas of respect for human rights and attention to the conditions of foreign workers. In conclusion, Al-Sharq hailed the decision that will has positive impacts on thousands of families and on the retirees themselves, adding that this decision will have significant positive, social and economic impacts in the coming days. In its editorial, Al-Raya newspaper stressed that the wise leadership has always sought to provide a decent life and well-being to the loyal people, especially civilian and military retirees who have spent their lives serving the precious homeland. In this regard, the paper said that in recognition of retirees' efforts, a modern retirement law was issued to preserve their dignity, meet their needs and put them under the umbrella of national protection by building an effective system of social protection for all Qataris. The daily newspaper pointed out the every Qatari house welcomed the decision of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to increase the pensions of retired individuals, and also the issuance of the military retirement and social insurance laws, noting that Qatar's new retirement system is one of the best in the world, offering high insurance benefits compared to the minimum and maximum pension, service periods, contribution ratio and other pension benefit conditions, the most important of which is the State's guarantee to fill any deficit or amounts due to grant insurance rights to the Qatari citizen, which amounts to an estimated cost of billions of riyals. The paper considered that the decision to increase pensions, and the social insurance and military retirement laws launch a new era aimed at promoting social, economic and human development, in line with Qatar's Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2018-2022, explaining that a large segment of Qatari citizens will benefit from these laws that contribute to the provision of a decent life. Al-Raya pointed out that the decision will secure a minimum pension for all Qatari retirees in the country at no less than QR 15,000, with the addition of a special housing allowance of QR 4,000, provided that the pension does not exceed an amount of QR100,000, which is in the interest of social and family stability. The newspaper referred to the most prominent reforms, which include expanding the scope of insurance coverage to include all citizens working in the government and private sectors, and voluntary subordination to some groups who do not work for an employer. Military personnel whose service ended before the entry into force of Law No. 13 of 2006 on retirement and pensions of military personnel shall be allowed to contribute for their previous period of service in order to receive a pension, it added Al-Raya concluded by stressing that the two laws were flexible, as it allowed the Cabinet to issue its decisions to grant certain insurance benefits, such as a periodic increase in pensions to meet the cost of living in accordance with regulations set by the executive regulations of the law, pointing out that the two laws grant several benefits to working women, excluding her from reducing the pension in the event of resignation to care for a child with a disability, increasing widow's share of the pension to 100% in the absence of other beneficiaries, and also not reducing her pension because she has not reached the age of 60 in the event of resignation at the age of 55. (QNA)