‘Government spends JD115 million on development projects in Zarqa’

AMMAN — Government spending on development programmes in Zarqa has reached JD115 million in 2016, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury said during a visit to the governorate on Monday.

Accompanied by a team from the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Fakhoury briefed the local community and official representatives on the government’s measures to implement the Zarqa development programme, the ministry said in a statement.

The minister said that in addition to the JD115 million in government expenditure, some JD35 million has been allocated to communities hosting refugees in Zarqa, through the UN and international agencies under the umbrella of the Jordan Response Plan.

Several government projects, worth JD88.9 million, are expected to be implemented in Zarqa in 2016, the minister added.

Meanwhile, JD4.5 million has been allocated to new and ongoing projects to enhance economic and social productivity in the governorate, 22km east of Amman.

The projects include a JD2 million productive branch, in cooperation with the Labour Ministry and a cultural centre in Ruseifa, at a cost of JD557,000, while JD500,000 has been allocated to soft loans for unemployed young people, in cooperation with the Development and Employment Fund, Fakhoury said.

The Planning Ministry has worked with various government institutions including the General Budget Department to allocate JD5.5 million to development priorities in Zarqa, which was not listed in the ministries’ budget for 2016, he noted.

Financing for the Syrian refugee crisis has been directed in line with the Jordan Response Plan, including JD56 million earmarked for the education and health sectors in 2015-2016, Fakhoury said, adding that the government would continue to urge the international community to meet its responsibilities in this area.

Essential finance has also been made available to municipalities to establish productive projects and improve incomes, he added.

The government has increased financial allocations to national credit corporations for 2016-2018 to help create job opportunities, the minister said.

The ministerial team briefed the local community on government loans and the financing available to micro- and medium- sized enterprises, and the programmes to encourage citizens to establish enterprises to increase their incomes.

An investment map has been presented in all governorates, including Zarqa, Fakhoury said, adding that feasibility studies were under way to identify the most important investment opportunities to create jobs for young people, in cooperation with the Jordan Investment Commission.

The ministry’s Local Development Programmes Director Mohammad Adaileh gave a presentation on government loans, outlining the target groups, funding limits, repayment period and interest rates, as well as the funding standards of each financial institution.

Meanwhile, Hatem Habahmeh, the ministry’s governorate development department director, delivered a briefing on the progress of the Zarqa development programme, and the government team listened to citizens’ demands.

Zarqa Governor Raed Adwan, senators, council members, mayors, presidents of the local chambers of industry and representatives of local commissions, women and youth were joined by the secretaries general of ministries at the meeting.