The Shura Council hosted H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saeed Al Kalbani, Minister of Social Development, during the 13th and 14th regular sittings of the Council for the third annual session (2017-2018) of the eighth term (2015-2019) to discuss the Ministry of Social Development's statement on 19th and 20th of March, Sunday and Monday.

The statement includes eight basic themes covering social security, relief and emergency assistance programs, a canter for the elderly and persons with disabilities, family development programs, NGOs and social work, as well as development plans implemented by the Ministry, (2016-2025).
 
The statement further reaffirmed that the concept of social development goes beyond the superficial understanding of welfare services to comprise principles of justice, societal integration, social participation, knowledge and economic empowerment.
 
The Minister of Social Development addressed the theme of social security where he indicated the number of social security cases until the end of 2017 was 79487 cases that have granted 122,945,635 million OMR.
The statement of H.E. the Minister addressed the facilities and benefits granted to beneficiaries of social security, which were in form of monetary exemption, aids and in-kind assistances, as well as empowering individuals of eligible families of social security to involve them in Higher Education and all efforts exerted by the Ministry to employ job seekers among social security  beneficiaries and people with special needs.
 
In his statement, the Minister discussed the current relief aid and the extent to which it continues to work in light of the current situation. The number of relief assistance cases was 185 cases in 2017, with an amount of 63549.5 OMR, in addition to various in-kind assistances.
 
The Ministry of Social Development is also motivating private sector institutions to contribute and support the programs and activities of NGOs through the Investment and Social Support Department, which was