His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired at Gudaibiya Palace the cabinet regular weekly meeting gave the go-ahead to the first phase of the housing project in the northern city where the construction of 500 units out of 3000 will start next May.
The council reviewed progress in implementing government projects pertaining mainly to the housing, municipal services, road network and infrastructure fields.
HRH the Prime Minister directed ministries and services bodies to follow up on these projects and provide the cabinet with first-hand update on their execution by preparing reports on their executive status.
The council reviewed development projects being implemented to upgrade the kingdom’s road network, including King Faisal highway and Mina Salman junction.
HRH the Prime Minister instructed the Interior Ministry to coordinate with the Works Ministry to ease traffic jams near Mina Salman intersection by regulating passage of lorries at fixed times.
The cabinet also reviewed waste water drainage projects and plants throughout the kingdom and directed the works Ministry to take the necessary measures to ensure citizens are not affected.
The council approved two draft laws on ratifying agreements to upgrade the water transportation network between Bahrain and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and Bahrain and the Islamic Bank.
The cabinet decided to take the necessary constitutional procedures to refer them to the legislative power.
HRH the Prime Minister directed to continue boosting social protection by promoting the role of accommodation houses and humanitarian care centres.
The ministers discussed compensating victims whose main livelihood has been endangered by incidents, like fire. According to the new scheme, such victims can be entitled to financial support, called “emergency aids”.
The cabinet decided to refer a draft resolution in this regard to the ministerial committee for social services, media, transportation and communication affairs.
To step up control on independent budgets, being part of public money, as well as financial operations by ministries and government bodies, the cabinet approved a draft resolution which mandates every ministry or government body to set up a transparent, competent and effective financial management and internal auditing system.
The council approved re-organizing the Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry by transferring to its affiliation the General Directorate for the Protection of Marine Resources from the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife.
The cabinet decided to take the necessary legal measures for that.
The ministerial council approved signing a memo on economic, trade and technical cooperation between Bahrain and Japan and tasked the ministerial committee for legal affairs to study its legal aspects.
In line with the decisions taken by the GCC leaders in the 32nd GCC Supreme Council’s meeting, held in Riyadh, the cabinet discussed and referred to the ministerial committee for legal affairs three draft laws on the veterinary job and products in the GCC countries.
The council also approved re-forming the National Anti-Smoking Commission and tasked the Health Minister to submit to the cabinet a draft resolution in this regard after coordinating with concerned parties.
The cabinet also approved accession of the Industry and Commerce Ministry to The International Organization of Legal Metrology and directed to take the necessary measures for that.