Northern Governorate's Budget Strained by Fires, Flood Barriers: Municipal Council Member Calls for Separate Funding

TDT | Manama

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The North Governorate, the largest in Bahrain due to its vast area and recent urban development, is facing a budget shortfall due to the increasing number of fire incidents and the need for flood barriers, according to the Northern Municipal Council member Abdullah Al Qubaisi.

Al Qubaisi, representing the ninth constituency, highlighted to the News of Bahrain the challenges faced by the Northern Governorate, which encompasses 12 constituencies, making it the most populous of the four governorates in Bahrain. He explained that while the Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture distributes an equal budget across all governorates, the Northern Governorate's needs are significantly higher due to its size and population.

"The Northern Governorate requires a larger budget to meet its needs," Al Qubaisi stated to the News of Bahrain. "The current equal distribution system doesn't account for the disparity in demands across different governorates."

He further emphasised the strain on the budget caused by the "Village Development Project," which has been burdened by the inclusion of critical cases and flood barrier requests. This amalgamation of needs has led to a depletion of funds, leaving many requests unmet.

"The council is unable to fulfill all the requests for the Village Development Project due to the inclusion of urgent cases and flood barrier requirements," Al Qubaisi pointed out.. "This has exhausted the budget, leaving us unable to cover all the necessary needs."

Al Qubaisi urged the authorities to separate the budget for the Village Development Project from the funding allocated for critical cases and flood barriers. He proposed allocating separate budgets for each project to ensure sufficient funds for all essential needs.

"We need distinct budgets for the Village Development Project, critical cases, and flood barriers," Al Qubaisi stressed. "This will ensure that all projects receive adequate funding and can effectively address the specific needs of the North Governorate."