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29 March 2024

Mohammed bin Rashid issues set of directives including allocation of AED 500 million for citizen’s wellbeing

Photo: WAM

Published
By WAM

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued a set of directives including the allocation of AED 500 million to enhance the quality of life for citizens across Dubai’s residential areas and the exemption of 422 financially distressed from paying housing loans in efforts to achieve social welfare.

Sheikh Mohammed issued these directives while chairing the third Dubai Council meeting, in the presence of deputies H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

Among the directives is the formation of residential councils as meeting points for UAE citizens and hubs to organise their community and social events and the establishment of committees of Emirati retired experts to be tasked with raising citizens’ needs to Dubai Council and suggesting events and initiatives to enhance the quality of life across neighbourhoods.

In another set of directives, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid ordered the exemption of all citizens from paying mortgage registration fees and exemption of new Emirati owners of houses that do not exceed AED 4 million from paying electricity connection fees in an effort to ease their financial burden and ensure family stability.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, "We will allocate AED 500 million to enhance the quality of life for citizens in residential areas based on their own suggestions and ideas, not government plans. We look forward to receiving ideas from our citizens on public facilities, playgrounds and parks they need in their neighbourhoods through www.Dubaicouncil.ae."

He added, "Government budgets are aimed to serve citizens who know their own needs best. We urge officials to listen to the needs of their people from the field.

"We assigned the Commissioner-General of the council’s citizen services pillar to develop Dubai’s societal system to ensure the best quality of life for our citizens."

He continued, "We ordered the formation of residential committees of retired experts in Dubai to raise citizens’ needs to Dubai Council and suggest events and initiatives to enhance the quality of life in neighbourhoods. The Commissioner-General of the citizen services shall start with immediate implementation."

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid also noted, "We also issued directives to form 12 integrated residential councils across Dubai’s neighbourhoods to be meeting points for citizens and hubs for organising their social and community events.

He concluded, "Societal services are the top priority on Dubai Council’s agenda to ensure the world’s best services in neighbourhoods," stressing that, "my message to all government departments is to work closely and consult citizens and provide services directly to them."

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid invited Dubai citizens to share their ideas and requests of public facilities to ensure meeting their needs and enhancing their wellbeing. The allocated AED500 million will implement projects that respond to their requests.

The council adopted directives to receive ideas of citizens through Dubai Council's website and establish mechanisms to review, evaluate and implement top-priority projects. A nation-wide media campaign will urge citizens to raise their ideas and suggestions to enhance their quality of life in neighbourhoods. Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General of the council’s "infrastructure, urban planning and wellbeing" pillar, will oversee the implementation of the campaign.

Dubai Council also adopted the directives to form residential councils across Dubai as meeting points for citizens and hubs to organize social and community events.

To implement the decision, 12 councils will be established in the first phase to provide citizens with a platform to come together and raise their ideas and suggestions to the Dubai Council. The residential councils aim to help achieve social welfare and improve services to ensure prosperity for all citizens.

The committees will be assigned with various tasks including suggesting and organizing social, economic and community events at residential areas, monitoring and raising the needs of citizens to Dubai Council, presenting ideas and suggestions to improve the quality of life at neighbourhoods and contributing to solving challenges facing the area’s citizens.

Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commissioner General of the council’s "citizen services" pillar, shall be tasked with forming these committees and monitoring their progress. Dubai Council will approve committee formation and planning.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid ordered the collaboration of all government entities with residential councils to ensure advanced services that respond to all citizens’ needs in neighbourhoods.

Another set of directives stated that the housing loans of 422 financially distressed citizens shall be waived before the end of March 2020. The directive aims to alleviate financial burdens facing some citizens and ensure family stability.

Dubai Council also adopted the decision to exempt all citizens from paying mortgage registration fees to the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment and Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme.

The Dubai Council has been formed as an outcome of the 4th January 2020 Charter released by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to renew the pledge of constant development and progress and placing the wellbeing of future generations of Dubai as a top priority. Mattar Al Tayer has been tasked with implementing these directives.

The ‘Dubai Council’ will take the lead in six strategic growth pillars: Economy, citizens’ services, governmental development, infrastructure, justice and security, and health and knowledge.

Six officials in Dubai were appointed to oversee the six key pillars of the emirate.