| 16pc increase in budget for infrastructure development |
A Staff Reporter
MUSCAT The infrastructure development will get 16 per cent increase in the Sultanate’s budget for 2010.
Giving details of the budget, HE Ahmed Bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, said that more emphasis would be laid on improving the existing roads, seaports and airports as well as allocating additional funds for new infrastructural projects.
The minister said that the allocation for infrastructure development would be 950 million rials.
These allocations are set to cover the spending on continuing as well as on new development projects listed in the Seventh Five Year Plan (2006-2010) in various sectors, he said.
Macki said around 30 million rials has been allocated to cover the operational expenses of new projects intended to be operated by some ministries during 2010. These projects are expected create around 4,000 job opportunities.
This is in addition to the economic growth resulting from operating such projects, in terms of increasing the private investment and the social development in the regions that host those projects.
He said that additional approbations for the road sector (1,777 million rials), including additional projects previously mentioned in our statements of previous years and the additional road projects of 2009 worth 724 million rials. They include implementation of the first phase (Barka–Wudam Al Sahil) road and the second phase (Sohar port-Khatma Malaha ) of Al Batinah coastal road spending 274 million rials, projects in wilayats in response to the Royal Directives of the 2009 Royal Tour spending 195 million rials for paving 1,256-km road.
Construction of roads and bridges of the first, second and third phases in Quriyat spending 37 million rials, construction of roads according to the masterplan at Al Duqm at a cost of 43 million rials, Al Zroob-roundabout (Al Buraimi) double-carriage road (17km) - with studies and supervision spending at 23 million rials.
The construction of Arjuut-Ashkhareet-Srfiet (Dhofar Governorate) by spending 23 million rials, the dual-carriageway ring road from Arzat-roundabout to Rissaut -32km spending 20 million rials are also part of the plan.
There are additional approbations for port sector which costs 1,025 million rials for construction, development and expanding of Al Duqm Port (Al Wusta region) with an additional 788 million rials, including port expanding, marine works, construction of the dry-dock and superstructure with consultancy services and supervision, he said.
Additional approbations for the housing sector amounting to 406 million rials for construction of 2,200 houses for the project-hit of coastal road in Al Batinah.
Macki said that there were additional approbations of 882 million rials for the airports sector. An amount of 450 million rials was approved in the previous budget for the first phase of the civil works at Muscat international airport which include the runway, roads, pathways, yard and the supporting services.
The budget has also earmarked an amount of 63 million rials for levelling, setting up and construction of drainage canals to reclaim the Muscat International Airport soil. An amount of 121 million rials has been allocated for the implementation of the projects of the first package concerning the construction of four regional airports with consultancy studies for designing and supervision in Sohar, Al Duqm, Ras Al Hadd and Adam.
There are separate additional approbations for town planning and municipalities services sector.
An amount of 120 million rials has been allocated for the proposed compensation as first phase for the owners of the properties affected by the Al Batinah coastal road.
For the removal of residues, pumping water pools and opening the main and internal roads affected by the exceptional climatic conditions in Muscat, 15 million rials also been allocated.
An amount of eight million rials has been allocated to construct around 9,406 lighting poles and developing internal roads as per the 2009 Royal Tour projects. Five million rials will be spent on the construction of a fence around the Oryx protectorate and administrative control centres.
Ten million rials will be spent for reconstruction of parks and afforestation affected by the climatic conditions in Muscat. Nine million rials have been allocated for completion of the first phase of Khasab sewerage project and 21 million rials for lighting and developing internal roads in a number of wilayats.
To support Al Hafa area (Salalah) project, 11 million rials has been earmarked. As per the budgetary allocation, 53 million rials will be spent on construction of dual-carriage roads, internal roads and bridges at Dhofar Governorate to facilitate smooth traffic.
Oman Tribune
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