Deputy Premier chairs Ministerial Committee meeting

TDT | Manama

Multi-million dinar projects aimed at strengthening Bahrain’s infrastructure and the sustainability of services to the public and investors are being carried out across the Kingdom.

These were discussed yesterday by Deputy Premier and Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, who chaired the 53rd meeting of the committee, which was held through video conferencing.

Committee members participated as well as officials from the relevant ministries and government departments. Shaikh Khalid affirmed that the government, led by His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, will carry on implementing the plans in order to ensure a supportive environment for comprehensive development.

The committee followed up on the sanitation projects being implemented by the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning across the Kingdom. These projects, worth more than BD21million, are funded from the general state budget.

Shaikh Khalid lauded the efforts exerted by the Works Ministry to implement the directives of HRH Premier, and those of HRH the Crown Prince, to provide a healthy environment in accordance with the Government Action Plan 2022.

The Ministerial Committee also reviewed the BD31million future pipeline projects for the sewage sector, located in Juffair, Diplomatic Area, Zinj, and Tubli, from Shaikh Isa bin Salman Highway to the Saar intersection, in addition to the maintenance of the Tubli plant and pumping stations.

The panel also reviewed the latest developments regarding the project to invest in the Works Ministry’s fishing ports. The committee had tasked the Works Ministry to study the investment options in such ports through encouraging the private sector to enter into such projects, by providing privileges and attracting mechanisms.

The Ministerial Committee approved an executive plan presented by the Agriculture and Marine Resources Department regarding the investment in four out of the 12 ports affiliated with the Works Ministry in Ras Raya, Al Hidd, Askar and Budaiya.

The panel also reviewed the latest developments regarding the issue of 28 Bahraini street vendors, who are licensed by the Works Ministry to practise their activity in Street 77 in Sanad, Street 23 in Tubli and Street 4 in Sitra.

The move is in line with the committee’s keenness to ensure the diversity of legal self-employment options for the citizens. The committee was informed about the Work Ministry’s keenness to implement the experience in other regions of the Kingdom after its success in the Capital Governorate.

The committee discussed the regulatory requirements of the street vendor sector, including the licensing of Bahraini nationals only, facilitating the licensing procedures, unifying the sales stalls and supporting street vendors, in coordination with the Labour Fund Tamkeen to pay half the purchase cost of the stalls. The committee stressed that inspection campaigns would continue to track down unlicensed vendors.