By Heba Fahmy

CAIRO: The People’s Assembly (PA) approved Monday a law that would increase compensation for the families of the Jan. 25 martyrs from LE 30,000 to LE 100,000 each, adding people with disabilities to the beneficiaries.

The PA added an article to the initial proposal to grant those injured during the Jan. 25 Revolution, who suffer from complete disability, LE100,000 as well.

“Those who have complete disabilities are suffering along with their families everyday,” said MP Abbas Mohamed Abbas of the Salafi Al-Nour Party.

Finance Minister Momtaz El-Saeed, condemned the amendment saying that this would require an additional LE400 or 500 million from the ministry.

“You can’t just spring this decision on the ministry,” El-Saeed said, adding that the exact number of those who suffer from complete disabilities had to be determined through official reports.

However, Saad El-Hosseiny, FJP MP and head of the planning and budget committee which drafted the law, argued that their numbers were very few, adding that the ministry could afford it.

By giving a show of hands, the PA approved the law disregarding the minister’s reservation.