Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has increased spending on a range of social programs, as he returned to his country amid a wave of popular protests across the Arab world.
The benefits unveiled Wednesday include nearly $11 billion in new funding for housing loans, and billions of dollars for social services like utility bills, housing repairs and education.
King Abdullah also ordered a 15 percent pay raise for state employees.
King Abdullah arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after spending three months abroad for medical treatment.
The Saudi king is in his mid-80s. In November, he underwent surgery in New York for a herniated disc complicated by a blood clot. He had a second procedure in New York in December.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
