AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Thursday directed ministers to expedite the implementation of the government’s policy statement, which was endorsed by Parliament on Wednesday, emphasising the need for a detailed executive programme to be finalised by January.

 

During the Cabinet session, the prime minister underlined the importance of fostering constructive engagement with the Lower House, parliamentary blocs, and political parties, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

 

He also called for addressing parliamentary inquiries and comments within an institutional framework and in accordance with the Constitution, while ensuring active follow-up on legislative projects in partnership with relevant parliamentary committees.

 

The Cabinet also approved several decisions, including measures to support agricultural projects and enhance services for farmers, as part of broader efforts to overcome obstacles and bolster national food security. 

 

Among these decisions was the approval of the second-phase financing agreement for the Emergency Food Security Project with the Islamic Development Bank, aimed at boosting the Kingdom’s strategic grain reserves to better manage future price fluctuations of wheat and barley.

 

The Council of Ministers also approved agreements with the World Food Programme (WFP) to support initiatives across several sectors, including implementing the national school feeding programme through the Ministry of Education, enhancing the Ministry of Social Development’s capacity to assist vulnerable groups, and providing technical support for food security, food systems, and reducing food waste through the Ministry of Agriculture.

 

The Cabinet also took steps to alleviate financial burdens on citizens by exempting scholarship students at public universities from outstanding fines to ease the financial pressures faced by students and their families.

 

The Cabinet also approved a project to establish a natural gas distribution network to supply homes and production sectors in Amman and Zarqa, with the project expected to take four years to complete. 

 

Designed to meet international safety standards, the network is projected to reduce gas costs for households and industries by at least 35 per cent once operational.

 

Additional decisions included endorsing the Tax Settlement Committee's recommendations to resolve cases involving 79 companies and taxpayers and approving new legislation and regulations to enhance public services.

 

Laws approved also included the 2024 General Statistics Law, which aims to diversify and enrich statistical data sources by utilising administrative records from government and private entities, adopting innovative data collection methods, and saving time and resources.

 

The Cabinet also endorsed amendments to health insurance coverage regulations for employees in companies and institutions for 2024 to enhance employee benefits and ensure broader access to health services.

 

The National Strategy for Future Stations 2025 (formerly Knowledge Stations) was also endorsed to support entrepreneurship policies and advance the national strategic plan. 

 

The strategy includes ongoing training in entrepreneurship and contributes to the Public Sector Modernisation Roadmap, with a specific focus on activating 3.5 million digital identities in the near future.