More than 10,000 housing requests have been dealt with over the past three years – an achievement that would typically require around seven years under normal circumstances, Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi told MPs yesterday.
Responding to an inquiry from MPs Dr Mariam Al Dhaen and Hassan Ibrahim regarding housing applications, the minister highlighted that there was a natural and ongoing increase in the number of requests.
She noted that regardless of how many the ministry addresses, new requests continue to enter the system at a rapid pace.
Ms Al Romaihi explained that the ministry has co-operated with Parliament in an unprecedented manner to expand eligibility criteria, including accepting applications involving sudden inheritance details and the need to adjust income thresholds.
“These changes naturally result in additional applications on top of the regular demand,” she said.
The minister affirmed that the ministry remains committed to providing suitable solutions for citizens, whether through traditional housing services – such as building housing cities – or through financing programmes.
She revealed that 500 homes in the new East Sitra Housing Town will be handed over next month to coincide with National Day celebrations.
The construction of 1,200 additional units in the city’s third phase is also underway.
In Khalifa Housing Town, 372 units are currently under construction. Ms Al Romaihi added that housing projects go beyond building units and require fully integrated infrastructure and services.
She also stated that more than 10,000 citizens had benefited from financing programmes between 2022 and today, the equivalent of building two full housing towns.
“A single housing city takes between seven and 10 years to complete,” she stressed, underscoring the scale of work being undertaken to absorb the growing number of applications.
Meanwhile, a draft law expanding the oversight powers of the Legislative and Legal Opinion Commission (LLOC) was approved for the second time, despite the Shura Council earlier rejecting the bill.
The law, amending Article (2) of Law No (60) of 2006 on reorganising the LLOC, was initiated by MPs and seeks to strengthen state financial discipline by increasing legal scrutiny over government contracts.
Under the proposed amendment, ministries, public institutions and government authorities would be required to refer any contract worth more than BD100,000 to the LLOC for legal review before signing.
The Shura Council had rejected the bill in principle, arguing that the existing law already grants sufficient powers to the commission and that additional procedures might delay contract implementation.
The government’s Fiscal Balance Programme, launched in 2018, emphasises the need for stricter control over administrative and financial procedures.
The committee cited this as a key justification for the amendment, arguing that all transactions and contracts exceeding BD100,000 should undergo mandatory legal review to avoid errors and liabilities that could cost the state.
With Parliament maintaining its approval, the draft law has been returned to the Shura Council under the constitutional mechanism for resolving disagreements between the two chambers, potentially paving the way for a joint session.
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain pointed out that this move would overwhelm the LLOC unnecessarily.
Meanwhile, MPs unanimously approved a government-drafted legislation to ratify a joint aviation agreement with Kyrgyzstan.
A government-drafted legislation to amend the 2021 International Trade Regulation and Monitoring of Animals and Plants threatened with Extinction Law to give the Supreme Council for the Environment (SCE) more authority to take action has been postponed for a week following a request from Oil and Environment Minister Dr Mohammed Bin Daina.
MPs approved the following proposals and referred them to the Cabinet for review:
Placing a national strategy to activate AI usage in growing economic sectors, presented by MP Dr Muneer Suroor
Beefing up traffic policing on King Hamad Highway due to reckless driving and racing, presented by three MPs, led by Lulwa Al Romaihi
Increasing allowances for teachers and trainers dealing with students of determination, presented by five MPs led by Mohammed Al Marafi
Protecting, developing and enhancing traditional handicraft industries, presented by five MPs and led by public utilities and environment affairs committee vice-chairman MP Mohammed Janahi
Halting new permits for sheesha cafés in the Capital Governorate constituency two following complaints that the existing facilities were allegedly being used for immoral acts, presented by five MPs led by second deputy speaker Ahmed Qarata.
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