Government workers and military personnel stand to get pay rises after a BD300 ($795.7) minimum wage was approved by parliament.

MPs yesterday voted in favour of the new government minimum wage bill, despite reservations on the Shura Council's decision to count social allowances as part of the basic salary.

The law, which will be now ratified by His Majesty King Hamad, will cost the government BD100 million a year.

Once ratified and the government revises all payments' charts, it will begin counting salaries effective from January 1.

Parliament services committee chairman Dr Ali Ahmed said that parliament had no choice but to approve the Shura Council's amendments to the bill.

'We can either reject it or approve it without any amendment. If we reject it because of the Shura's amendment, this will mean that no one will benefit,' he said.

'Yes, there will be less benefit to government employees with the social allowance being counted as a part of the wage.

'However, at least every government employee will be happy with the extra monthly cash that will help ease the financial burden on them.'

There are currently 1,023 government employees who earn below BD300 out of a total of around 37,000.

Meanwhile, parliament yesterday approved the Shura Council's decision to double monthly allowances given to the disabled and dating it back to January 1 once it is implemented.

The disabled will receive at least BD100 a month rather than the current BD50 after the new bill is ratified by His Majesty.

MPs yesterday also voted in favour of an urgent proposal urging the government to give centres and institutes for the disabled an urgent BD700,000 to help them cover a huge budget deficit.-TradeArabia News Service