All about social services: UAE cabinet approves $13 billion budget for 2015

The UAE Cabinet has adopted the draft union budget for 2015 which envisages an expenditure of Dh49.1 billion ($13.36 billion), an increase of Dh2.9 billion (6.3 per cent) compared to the financial year 2014.

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum confirmed that the directives of President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to provide prosperity, security and a decent life for citizens at all levels remained a clear priority for the government, said the state news agency WAM.

Sheikh Mohammed said that investing in and meeting the needs of its citizens are the cornerstones of the government policies, and represent a top priority in the national agenda for achieving the UAE Vision 2021.

Sheikh Mohammed also said that the federal budget for 2015 will go towards health, education and social services, as well as developing government services for citizens.

A breakdown of government expenditures showed that social development and social benefits sector received Dh24 billion or 49 per cent of the total budget, while Dh20 billion (41 per cent) went to the government sector, the WAM report said.

The budget allocated Dh1.8 billion (3.7 per cent) to the infrastructure and economic sector, Dh1.6 billion (3.2 per cent) to financial assets and Dh 1 billion (2.1 per cent) to federal spending.

The cabinet also gave its nod to issuing the executive regulations of the UAE Competition Law which regulates economic activities and exploitation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) which affect competition in the state.