President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has urged local councils to promote the socio-economic development of communities nationwide.

He made this remark during a ceremony held in Maafushi Island in Kaafu Atoll to hand over the deeds of the newly reclaimed area and picnic island to the island council, on Tuesday.

Shedding light on the amendments made to the Decentralization Act under his administration, the president touched down on the new powers vested in local councils, through the amendments.

As such, councils were pushed by the president to ensure that the views and wishes of the people are mirrored in the decisions that affect their socio-economic wellbeing.

With this being said, the president urged councils to communicate with the community when establishing plans for land-use, in the respective islands.

Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) carried out the land reclamation project in Maafushi, as well as the picnic island project.

During the ceremony, President Solih thanked the company for their swift and successful efforts to complete the project, and expressed confidence that MTCC will deliver all of its future projects on time as well.

Stressing that he had learned some of the most pressing issues facing Maafushi island to be land scarcity, the president revealed that this has now been resolved with the completion of the land reclamation project.

The projects cost MVR 128 million.

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the president toured the newly reclaimed part of the island and visited the new picnic island, he also planted a palm tree as part of the greenery programme for the picnic island.