Gov’t Allocates EGP 3.6 Billion for 361 Development Projects in Al-Gharbia for 2023/2024

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has unveiled the Citizen Investment Plan for Al-Gharbia Governorate for the current fiscal year 2023/2024. This announcement is part of an ongoing initiative to disclose the Citizen Plan across all governorates of the Republic for the fifth consecutive year. The aim is to inform citizens about the directions and priorities of the sustainable development plan for the fiscal year 2023/2024 and its role in achieving "Egypt Vision 2030."

Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, underscored that the launch of the "Citizen Plan" reflects the state’s strong commitment to engaging citizens in the efforts to enhance the planning and monitoring systems. This engagement is critical to achieving sustainable and comprehensive development, addressing developmental disparities between governorates, localizing sustainable development goals, and fulfilling the 17th global sustainable development goal, "Partnerships for the Goals." She emphasized that citizens are the true focus of development, necessitating their empowerment and access to information about the state’s developmental programs and projects. El-Said highlighted that all developmental plans adopted by the state aim to improve the quality of life for citizens, which cannot be achieved without active community participation, aligning with "Egypt Vision 2030."

El-Said also noted that the updated version of Egypt Vision 2030 places a significant emphasis on ensuring citizens' participation in development-related decision-making. This approach benefits people by ensuring spatial justice, reducing geographical disparities, economically and socially empowering local communities, and providing essential services across all geographic areas to achieve real community development. These principles align with the State General Planning Law No. 18 of 2022, which emphasizes enhancing the participation of stakeholders in the development process and encourages scientific research and innovation towards sustainable, geographically, sectorally, and environmentally balanced development. El-Said added that citizens' participation in the development process requires detailed data on the state's development plans, enabling them to monitor implementation regularly within a comprehensive and integrated framework to enhance participatory planning.

Regarding the Citizen Investment Plan for Al-Gharbia Governorate, El-Said detailed that 361 development projects are planned for the governorate, with public investments totaling EGP 3.6 billion for the 2023/2024 plan. This is in addition to projects directed through the Egyptian Rural Development Project "Decent Life."

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development's report indicated that the sectoral distribution of public investments targeted for Al-Gharbia Governorate in the 2023/2024 plan includes EGP 995 million allocated to the higher education sector (27%), followed by EGP 726 million to the local development sector (20%). The housing sector receives EGP 455 million (13%), pre-university education EGP 327 million (9%), and the transport sector EGP 171 million (4%). Other sectors receive investments amounting to EGP 1 billion (27%).

The report highlighted that 54 villages are targeted in the first phase of the "Decent Life" initiative in Al-Gharbia Governorate, benefiting 451,000 residents, of whom 48% are female. The initiative's projects, which achieve all sustainable development goals, include constructing 10 residential buildings for families in need, 6 social units, 9 agricultural service complexes, 8 ambulance points, 25 health units, 459 classrooms, 75 schools, 25 drinking water stations, 43 sewage projects, 3 treatment plants, 49 mobile network towers for fiber optic connectivity, 30 youth centers, 9 government service complexes, and 27 post offices. Additionally, the initiative involves rehabilitating and lining canals for 122 km, and paving 60 main and internal roads for 135 km.

The report further detailed that the plan targets the implementation of 184 developmental projects in the field of local development services in Al-Gharbia Governorate. Key developmental targets in this sector include paving local roads with an investment of approximately EGP 248 million. In addition to this, 77 housing projects will be executed, further enhancing the infrastructure and living conditions within the governorate.

The Citizen Investment Plan also aligns with broader national objectives, including economic stimulation, job creation, and improving public services. By detailing specific projects and their expected impacts, the plan aims to ensure transparency and foster public trust in the government's development agenda. Citizens are encouraged to actively participate and provide feedback on these initiatives, further strengthening the collaborative effort between the state and its people towards achieving the comprehensive development goals set forth in Egypt Vision 2030.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development's Citizen Investment Plan for Al-Gharbia Governorate exemplifies the state's commitment to inclusive and participatory development. With significant investments across various sectors, the plan not only aims to bridge developmental gaps but also to enhance the overall quality of life for citizens, paving the way for a prosperous and equitable future for all.