Urban Authority Bill limits role of councils: Ministry

The Urban Development Bill, submitted to parliament to designate urban centers for the first time in the Maldives, has the potential to constrain the decentralization system if passed as is, the Ministry of Cities, Local Government, and Public Works has said.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee meeting examining the bill, Minister of State for Cities, Local Government, and Public Works, Mohamed Hashim, expressed concerns that the bill was drafted without consulting the ministry.