President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has today ratified the Urban Development Act, which governs the establishment of urban centres in various regions and other urban development projects.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has today ratified the Urban Development Act, which governs the establishment of urban centres in various regions and other urban development projects.
The Act will come into effect after six months.
The Act is designed to regulate the planning, implementation and monitoring of urban development projects across the country and to ensure sustainable, legally compliant growth.
Implementation of the Act falls upon the ministry which carries the mandate for infrastructure development, effectively the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Infrastructure in this administration.
Under the Act, an Urban Development Authority will be set up under the ministry to oversee the drafting of an Urban Area Development Master Plan.
The authority will also be tasked with providing relevant permissions and facilitating developers with project implementation. The authority will hold significant authority, much as the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) operates at present.
Some harbour concerns that differences of opinion may rise in the future between this authority and local councils, as it does now between HDC and the Male' City Council.
The government, meanwhile, has already announced the areas designated for development as urban centres. These are Raa atoll Ungoofaaru, Baa atoll Eydhafushi, Lhaviyani atoll Naifaru, Alif Dhaalu atoll Mahibadhoo, Faafu atoll Nilandhoo, Dhaalu atoll Kuda Huvadhoo, and Laamu atoll Fonadhoo.
While the Act was being deliberated at committee stage in the parliament, the Local Government Ministry also raised concerns regarding it, stating that it chips away at local governance factors and narrows the work of local councils, disempowering them.
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