Sheikh Mohammed allocates Dhs500m to improve quality of life in Dubai

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the allocation of Dhs500m to “enhance the quality of life” in the emirate’s residential areas.

Under a new directive, 12 integrated residential councils will be formed as meeting points for UAE citizens to organise their community and social events.

Committees with Emirati retired experts will also be formed and tasked with passing on the needs of the people to the Dubai Council and suggesting events and initiatives to enhance the quality of life across neighbourhoods, a statement said.

The directive was issued at the third Dubai Council meeting.

Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commissioner general of the council’s “citizen services” pillar, shall be tasked with forming these committees and monitoring their progress. Dubai Council will approve committee formation and planning.

The council also adopted directives to receive ideas of citizens through the Dubai Council’s website and establish mechanisms to review, evaluate and implement top-priority projects.

Mattar Al Tayer, commissioner general of the council’s “infrastructure, urban planning and wellbeing” pillar, will oversee the implementation of the campaign.

Sheikh Mohammed said: “We will allocate Dhs500m to enhance the quality of life for citizens in residential areas based on their own suggestions and ideas, not government plans. We look forward to receiving ideas from our citizens on public facilities, playgrounds and parks they need in their neighbourhoods through www.Dubaicouncil.ae.

“We ordered the formation of residential committees of retired experts in Dubai to raise citizens’ needs to Dubai Council and suggest events and initiatives to enhance the quality of life in neighbourhoods. The commissioner-general of the citizen services shall start with immediate implementation.”

Sheikh Mohammed invited Dubai citizens to share their ideas and requests for public facilities. The allocated Dhs500m will implement projects that respond to their requests.

“Government budgets are aimed to serve citizens who know their own needs best. We urge officials to listen to the needs of their people from the field,” he said.

“We assigned the commissioner-general of the council’s citizen services pillar to develop Dubai’s societal system to ensure the best quality of life for our citizens.”

Another set of directives stated that the housing loans of 422 financially distressed citizens shall be waived before the end of March 2020.

The directive aims to alleviate financial burdens facing some citizens to ensure family stability, the statement said.

Dubai Council also adopted the decision to exempt all citizens from paying mortgage registration fees to the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment and Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme.

Meanwhile new Emirati house owners, who buy properties worth less than Dhs4m, have been exempt from paying electricity connection fees.

The Dubai Council, formed this year, will take the lead in six strategic growth pillars: Economy, citizens’ services, governmental development, infrastructure, justice and security, and health and knowledge.

Six officials in Dubai were appointed to oversee the six key pillars of the emirate.