The government proposed amendment bill to the Decentralization Act was submitted to parliament on Monday.

The bill was introduced by Hulhumalé constituency MP Ali Niyaz and the first reading was held at Monday’s sitting; it was forwarded to parliament last week.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s proposed amendments aim to grant better access to resources to ensure regional sustainable development and empowerment to local councils “through the devolution of powers reflecting on financial liberalization and assuring revenue mechanisms to warrant sustainable development and empowerment.”

The incumbent administration seeks “the development of regional hubs, create more jobs and business opportunities, increase the productivity of the islands and rectify the pressing issue of overcrowding in the Greater Malé Region,” as well as to earmark five per cent of the annual budget to local councils, and accord powers to generate revenue using the resources available in its jurisdiction, through the amendments to the Decentralization Act.

Other means proposed in the amendments to ensure the financial stability of the local councils also include allocating 40 per cent of revenue from leasing land, islands and lagoons, and 100 per cent of the revenue generated from land and other resources in the direct jurisdiction of the council. All Public Sector Investment Programmes (PSIP) under MVR5 million is also proposed to fall under local councils as sectoral grants.

The administration has also proposed to amend the roles and regulations of local councils including fixing the term of local councils to five years, and ensuring that women fill 33.3 per cent (or one-third) of all council seats.

Mayors of city councils and Presidents and Vice Presidents of local councils are also proposed to be elected through a public vote.

The government intends to implement the amendments to the Decentralization Act prior to the next year’s local council election, which is scheduled for April 2020.