Government to oblige desert land reclaimers to take part in utilities’ cost

Mohamed Ayyad
2 Min Read

The government will oblige desert land owners to share the cost of utilities required for the reclamation process, cabinet spokesperson Hossam El-Kawish said Saturday. This will be applied on new contracts, exempting already existing contracts.

El-Kawish told Daily News Egypt that Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb requested from the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Reconstruction Projects and Agriculture Development (GARPAD), during their meeting last Friday, to present a study to the cabinet according to the state’s general policy for development. The study is to determine the amount of the investor’s participation in utilities.

The spokesman added that after Friday’s meeting with Mehleb, GARPAD will give a one-month notice, starting from Sunday, for those who changed the planned use for lands, from agricultural to housing, so that they can pay the required fees to the authority for changing their activity.

El Kawish commented that GARPAD’s decision came after Friday’s meeting, which was headed by Mehleb. The ministers of agriculture, irrigation, housing, planning, and local development, as well as both the governors of Minya and South Sinai, attended the meeting.

According to a cabinet statement, GARPAD’s Board of Directors stated that it is firmly implementing the law aimed at eliminating irregularities. El-Kawish added that in case of late payments, the state will apply the law to abolish illegal buildings.

El-Kawish concluded that Mehleb confirmed that GARPAD’s contracts should be respected in order not to squander public funds, as well as the rights of serious investors.

 

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