MUSCAT: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning reiterated its resolve to distribute 23,000 residential land plots and register more than 30,000 applications for verification and registration of ownership this year.
During its third media briefing at Grand Millennium Muscat, the ministry assured stability of 1,200 families under the housing assistance programme. The ministry reviewed its achievements and the comprehensive transformation journey towards achieving sustainable urban development.
Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, stressed the ministry’s endeavour in the areas of housing and urban planning with stress on providing alternatives and solutions to speed up the process of land distribution and housing.
He also laid emphasis on plans for mega city projects and future cities, while providing special programmes for training cadre and infuse expertise to planning from urban mastery to a high level of professionalism.
The third media briefing focused on the ministry’s achievements in 2022 in line with Oman Vision 2040 and the National Urban Development Strategy.
The ministry announced the implementation of 80 per cent of the 2022 plan, in addition to completing the targets for this year. The target includes updating data of three governorates and transferring them to the WGs84 global system.
FINANCIAL COST
The ministry said the number of families benefited from exemption of housing loans during 2021 stood at more than 700, whose monthly income is less than RO 350. The financial cost of exemption stood at more than RO 13 million. In 2022, the number of families exceeded more than 1,600 whose monthly income is less than RO 450 at a cost of RO 29.7 million.
As for social housing programmes, the ministry said that the number of families benefiting from housing assistance exceeded 1,400 with an amount of RO 35 million during 2022. The ministry pointed out that it continues to provide housing assistance to more than 1,200 families at a value of RO 35 million during 2023. The housing units programme delivered 53 completed units, in addition to 143 residential units “under implementation” from 2022 until this year (2023).
E-SERVICES
The ministry affirmed that it is seeking, within the framework of initiatives of the paradigm digital shift, to render services of high level of proficiency and professionalism with the aim of streamlining and improving the procedures and services provided. To this end, “Amlak” platform operated 23 electronic services in 2022, and continue to complete the operation of 36 services so as to launch all 59 of its services during 2023.
“Tatweer” platform for real estate development services is witnessing remarkable developments, as the electronic bidding has been activated with the usufruct system, by bidding on more than 200 land plots under the usufruct system in 2022. The platform is linked with more than 10 departments and institutions concerned. The investment opportunities service is being activated.
The ministry explained that it is exploiting government lands in an optimal and sustainable investment way through the usufruct system. It granted more than 500 lands with usufruct rights and more than 200 lands were offered under the public bidding system. The collection of contracts’ renewal fees in 2022 exceeded RO 8.6 million. As many as 400 lands will be offered for use by electronic bidding, as well as offering 250 land plots for use of investment opportunities for the activities specified for 2023.
With the growth witnessed in the value of real estate trading during the past years, from RO 2.5 billion in 2020 to RO 2.6 billion in 2021, and doubling last year to RO 2.7 billion, the ministry changed its real estate directions to become an enhancer of investment opportunities in terms of products and services in the housing and real estate development sector.
The ministry has initiated the establishment of future sustainable cities in Salalah, Nizwa, Suhar and Muscat on an area of 5 million square metres. These cities will host a number of housing units ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 units, accommodating between 50,000 to 130,000 people, according to a model that achieves its goals and requirements by providing basic services for building integrated urban communities.
The ministry is also preparing a layout for Al Jabal Al Akhdhar which will be completed in 2023. It will also launch the identity of the same project, which is a multi-use investment destination that aims to raise economic potential while preserving its geographical nature.
Besides the minister the media briefing was attended by Eng Hamad bin Ali al Nazwani, Housing Under-Secretary; Dr Mohammed bin Ali al Muttawa, Urban Planning Under-Secretary, public and private officials, and media representatives.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning announced that it had received 91 communications during the past year as part of the “Disclosure” initiative. The ministry stated that the reports it received, most of them outside the framework of the initiative and related to services and transactions. While 29 reports were within the competence of the initiative committee and the real reports were dealt with and resolved, and measures were found to prevent their occurrence.
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