MUSCAT: The government will bear the cost of Value Added Tax (VAT) against electricity and water services for all Omani citizens who owns two accounts or less of residential category.

This was announced as part of the Social Security Scheme (SSS) package approved by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik. According to the details received, the VAT exemption on electricity and water services also includes families that were previously eligible for government support for the two services.

Meanwhile, the government also exempted all citizens whose monthly income is less than OMR 350 from debts of the soft housing loans programme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. The government also wrote-off all outstanding dues of all citizens benefiting from two programmes known as “Sanad Programme” and “Livelihood Resources Programme”. The SSS package was finalized and approved during a high-level finance committee meeting chaired by His Majesty at Bait Al Barakah Palace on Thursday.