Planning Ministry currently conducting 251 projects: Aslam

Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam said that the ministry currently has 251 ongoing projects.

Minister Aslam was questioned during Monday's sitting of the People's Majlis.

The questioning proposed by the MP for Kanditheemu constituency, Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem inquired about the reason why water and sewerage projects had not begun in Feydhoo, Bilehfahi, Goidhoo and Noomaraa and about when these projects would be materialized.

The minister responded that the provision of electricity and water to Feydhoo is a part of the third phase of OFID and that the surveying for the project in question had been finished. Furthermore, he said that work on the pump stations and searching for plots of land to build the office buildings are ongoing. He noted the plan is to finish the project in 18 months and that 180 days are allocated for the design phase, stressing that the project is currently underway.

The same project for Bilehfahi is under the PSIP program, according to the minister, and he mentioned that it was opened for tender, twice round. However, it was not awarded due to the lack of an adequate contractor. The minister adds that the next option is to conduct the project through an SoE. The water and sewerage projects in eleven islands including Bilehfahi, is being discussed currently with SOEs.

Further, parliamentarians posed questions regarding the procedures underway for projects in their own constituencies during Monday's sitting.

Commenting that he was only prepared to answer questions in terms of the water and sewerage projects, on Monday, he mentioned that it was open to all MPs to meet him privately to discuss the projects of their constituencies.

It was highlighted that further inquiries to the minister had already been scheduled for the ongoing parliamentary session.