The cost of government subsidies has increased by 73 per cent in five years, rising from BD822 million ($2.15 billion) in 2007 to BD1.126 billion last year, Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said.

The figures are expected to rise further and show that action must be taken to reduce costs, he explained during a meeting with MPs, adding that people's living standards would not be affected, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

MPs and the government yesterday agreed to hold a series of meetings starting on Monday to discuss all subsidies, including controversial diesel price rises due to come into effect on January 15. – TradeArabia News Service