Families whose homes are damaged by fire could soon be exempted from the income cap required to qualify for state-funded home repairs, as the government considers easing rules under the Towns and Villages Development Scheme.
The Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry confirmed that the scheme’s guidelines are being updated, with proposals from the Southern Municipal Council – including income exemptions for blaze victims – now under review.
The proposal was justified by the need to abolish the maximum income requirement (BD800) for receiving fire-damage compensation services, as fire incidents constitute an urgent and exceptional humanitarian circumstance that requires immediate intervention regardless of total income.
Municipalities Affairs Under-Secretary Shaikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said the ministry is modernising the project framework to match current needs.
“We are updating the project’s guideline to ensure it reflects present implementation requirements,” he said in an official response to the council. “The council’s recommendation will be assessed as part of the ongoing review.”
Shaikh Mohammed said the programme continues to play a ‘tangible and vital’ role in protecting vulnerable households.
The move could allow a new category of beneficiaries to receive support for home repairs, renovations and remodelling, including families previously excluded because their income exceeded BD800 – the current maximum threshold.
The ministry’s review could pave the way for more inclusive support, especially for families struck by sudden disasters. “The ministry remains committed to ensuring the project fulfils its purpose – improving living conditions for families in need,” Shaikh Mohammed said.
Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif welcomed the ministry’s response, stressing that exceptional cases must be treated differently.
“A family that loses its home in a fire should not be barred from assistance because it falls slightly above the income limit,” he said. “We appreciate the ministry’s willingness to study the proposal, which would offer dignity and relief to families facing sudden hardship.”
He added that the change would ‘strengthen social stability’ and ensure that support reaches those who need it most during emergencies. “Fire-damage related costs are high and unpredictable, and since the value of the assistance provided does not exceed BD10,000, we don’t see it as a strain on municipal coffers, while also noting fires don’t occur frequently,” said Mr Abdullatif.
“In addition, the nature of the service is humanitarian and emergency-based; fire incidents often cause destruction to essential facilities in the home, rendering them unsafe or sometimes uninhabitable for a period of time.”
It’s not only flames that cause issues when a blaze breaks out. Water used to dampen the flames causes damage too and the acrid smell of smoke often makes possessions unusable.
Launched in 2006 with the support of His Majesty King Hamad, the scheme is one of Bahrain’s key social programmes. It aims to improve living standards for low-income families by repairing unsafe homes, renovating old structures and providing essential services.
Over the past years, the scheme has helped cover the cost of demolishing and rebuilding unsafe and collapsing properties, renovated homes belonging to low-income families, repaired fire-damaged houses and installed rain insulation for families affected by winter downpours.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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