RIYADH, 13 June 2007 — A total of SR812 million will be distributed on Saturday among 130,000 disabled Saudi men and women through ATM machines as their yearly financial assistance, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced here yesterday.
The distribution of the amount is part of a new CARE program initiated by the ministry this year, which enables disabled persons registered with the ministry to receive cash via ATM machines.
The ministry had earlier signed a deal with the Al-Rajhi Bank to open bank accounts for all CARE program recipients in the Kingdom and to issue them with ATM cards.
“Financial assistance to families of disabled persons has increased this year by SR326 million, as the amount distributed last year was SR486 million,” said Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Awad Al-Radadi.
The official also said that the maximum financial payment per family has been increased to SR10,000 from its previous SR8,000 last year.
In addition, the minimum financial payment per family has been increased to SR2,000 from SR1,000 last year.
Distribution of financial assistance per family depends on the severity of disabilities, he noted.
Al-Radadi said that recipients would receive the money through ATM machines all over the country as per the new distribution method instead of previously receiving it by hand from social affair offices.
“The new system is also linked by the Internet as all transactions from banks are linked to the central system of the ministry to prepare necessary reports,” he said.
Furthermore, he said, the ministry had constructed a website on the Internet for CARE recipients to log on and fill out necessary electronic applications such as the renewal of an ATM card or the change of a personal identification number (PIN).
Al-Radadi called on recipients who experience problems withdrawing amounts from ATM machines to address them directly to officials from the Al-Rajhi Bank who issued them their cards. He also said that the ministry had given authority to the bank to solve technical problems with ATM cards.
According to the ministry, Al-Rajhi Bank has issued 150,000 ATM cards for CARE recipients as part of their deal with the ministry.
