Government will Approve Increase Stipends for Ultra-Orthodox Students Despite Controversy

In a recent announcement on "Kan" 11, the government has decided to approve an increase in allowances for ultra-Orthodox students studying in yeshivot, totaling NIS 164 million. The stipends are granted to these students to support their studies, and the increase is set to be implemented through a horizontal cut in various government ministry budgets.

The decision to raise the allowances comes as a result of demands made by the ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition agreements. While the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, claimed it was a "technical error," it is expected that the Havrach budgets will indeed see a significant increase.

Initially, there was difficulty in finding a budgetary source for the intended addition, leading Smotrich to consider allocating funds from the budgets of the Arab society. However, due to public criticism, this option was eventually discarded in favor of implementing horizontal cuts across government ministries.

As part of the approved increase, the Minister of Finance has instructed his office's professional echelon to find an alternative budget source to accommodate a NIS 130 million increase in welfare allowances.

This decision has sparked controversy, as some argue that it may lead to further disparities in budget allocations and raise concerns over favoritism in government funding. Nevertheless, with the government's approval in place, the increase in stipends for ultra-Orthodox students is set to take effect, pending the identification of alternative budget sources to cover the additional welfare allowances.