Prime minister visits Balqa, discusses development projects with dignitaries

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh on Wednesday met with dignitaries and representatives of the local community in Balqa during a visit to the governorate along with a ministerial team.

The visit follows His Majesty King Abdullah's directives to the government to visit governorates to follow up on citizens' needs and to improve living, service and development conditions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The prime minister announced allocating JD1 million for the  Salt Greater Municipality to boost the heritage value of the city after it was listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and JD1 million for other municipalities of Balqa to help establish projects that can improve the living conditions of residents.

The premier also directed stakeholders at the Public Works and Housing Ministry to build the Al Ardah-Jordan Valley bypass with a value of JD1.5 million.

He also said that the government has implemented several procedures to stimulate investment in the industrial estate in Salt through reducing the prices of land, stressing that the value of investment contracts in the estate reached JD21 million and are projected to provide 590 jobs.

Khasawneh also reiterated the Kingdom's unaltered stance to support Palestinians in their endeavours to achieve their legitimate rights, mainly establishing their independent and sovereign state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Residents of Balqa reviewed top demands and challenges facing the development process in the governorate, mainly in the agricultural, tourism, investment and infrastructure sectors. 

Ministers accompanying the PM pledged to consider these demands according to available resources.

Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat said that two food factories are scheduled to open within the next two weeks in the southern Jordan Valley district in Balqa, stressing that the ministry will offer full exemptions for investors in the food manufacturing sector in the Salt industrial estate.

Public Works and Housing Minister Yahya Kisbi said that the Safout road is a vital area that has several traffic intersections and it witnesses a lot of accidents, noting that the ministry is planning to renovate the street with a cost of JD8 million to JD10 million.