The Government has accorded top priority to the development of Oman's interior regions, by investing heavily in constructing vital infrastructure facilities such as internal road networks, dams, souqs, gardens and Aflaj

The Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) continued to implement several roads, lighting and beautification projects and develop souqs, parks and slaughterhouses in different parts of the Sultanate.

The Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) is currently undertaking various municipal services and implementing internal road construction, road lighting and beautification projects. The MRMWR has implemented a number of projects to improve and develop souqs, parks and slaughterhouses in different parts of the Sultanate. It also monitors the quality of food and water at the market.

Road and lighting

Since the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance, His Majesty the Sultan has accorded great importance to the development of road network in the country. The Ministry was in charge of constructing internal roads at the different wilayats as per the approved plans and programmes taking into consideration the construction growth at each wilayat.

During the first half of 2015, the Ministry has implemented RO53,751,374 worth internal road projects. During this year, the Ministry awarded internal road tenders for 1765-km long road projects at a cost of about RO54,500,054.

The Ministry also signed an agreement for the construction of 193 km long network of internal roads at the industrial areas at a cost of RO100,411,56. During the first half of this year, the Ministry implemented 15 road lighting projects that included the installation of 721 lighting posts at the different governorates. Work is underway at another 16 road projects that include 612 lighting posts.

Souqs and gardens

The Ministry is in charge of managing and maintaining 67 public parks and garden. Over the past period, many gardens were opened at the different parts of the Sultanate including al Buraimi Public Park. Work is also underway at Bukha Public Park. The Ministry is implementing other projects as well including beautification of entrances at the wilayat of Madha in Musandam governorate, development of Izki public part in A' Dakhiliyah Governorate, maintenance and development of Ashkharah park in the wilayat of Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali in South A' Sharqiyah and Nikhil public park. It is also finalising the construction of the traditional Souq in the wilayat of Saham and the development of the Souq in the wilayat of Ibri in al Dhahirah governorate.

Food safety

The MRMWR is in charge of monitoring food quality and safety at the various governorates. To this end, it implements a number of inspection campaigns to spot violators and present them to justice. To ensure carrying out its mission properly, the Ministry uses modern technology and lab services to spot violators.

The Ministry also checks the municipal and health licenses to ensure meeting requirements. During the period from January to April 2015, the Ministry has dumped 2777006 kg of spoiled food products and issued violations for 5645 food products that were not fit for human consumption.

The Ministry also accords special interest and care to the existing 40 slaughterhouses at the different parts of the Sultanate. To this end, it takes necessary measures to ensure that they are free of diseases. While it also implemented two slaughterhouses in al Buraimi and Dank; work is underway at slaughterhouses in Sinaw, Masirah and Nikhil. Tenders for slaughterhouses in Liwa and Saham were also floated.

The statistics show that 147,429 animals were slaughtered at the different slaughterhouses operated by the Ministry. The Ministry also encourages private companies to invest in slaughterhouses to eliminate illegal slaughtering of animals.

Training and Rehabilitation

The Ministry provides a number of training programmes to help its human resources develop their skills and performance. To this end, during 2014 and the first half of 2015, the Ministry has provided 55 internal and external scholarships for its employees to get Ph.D., Master's and Bachelor's degrees.

As many as 367. 3373 employees benefited from 321 internal training programme and 231 employees benefited from 47 external training programmes during the same period. The Ministry endeavours to increase the number of training programmes and scholarships to cover the maximum number of its employees and help them develop their careers.

Dams

During this year, the Ministry has completed Wadi Imti dam project in the wilayat of Izki and Wadi Kalboh dam in Nizwa, increasing the number of recharge dams to 45.

The dams implemented in Sur to protect people's lives and property are among the major projects carried out in South A' Sharqiyah Governorates. The project includes three projection dams namely al Fulaaij, Tahwa and Iftaa. It also rehabilitated the wadi pathways and constructed canals for discharge of rainwater to the sea. A many as 50 per cent of the dam has been completed and work is underway to complete it as per the scheduled timetable for implementation.

Work is also underway at a number of superficial storage dams in the wilayat of Mirbat (3) , in the wilayat of al Hamra (2) , Dema and Tayyin (1) Dhofar (4) and Wadi Shaml (1) thus increasing the number of dams to 101 including Wadi Daiqa Dam in the wilayat of Quriyat in Muscat Governorate.

Consultancy study for dams

The Ministry is developing the feasibility study and detailed designs for supervising a number of recharge and protection dams at the various governorates.

The Ministry will soon float tenders for the recharge dams in Ibri, Wadi Ghamda in Bukha in Musandam , Almaidin, al Waryah, Al Wreed and al Qafifa in North A' Sharqiyah Governorate.

Aflaj Projects

The Ministry endeavours to maintain aflaj as they are among the major water sources in the Sultanate. We thus encourage their proper utilisation.

During the first half of 2015, the Ministry issued job orders for maintaining 184 projects that will benefit 211 Falajs, at the different parts of the Sultanate. Work is also underway to issue contracts and award 26 additional projects.

Quality Management

The Quality Management System is one of the major systems adopted by the Ministry in a bid to improve the quality of services rendered by it to the different beneficiaries. In 2015, the Ministry obtained the ISO 2008:9001 in some divisions, which reflected the royal desire to promote public performance and render better services to the public. In 2014, we have completed the internal audit process and followed up the recommendations made about revising the senior management of the Ministry. During the year, we have standardised a number of procedures and conducted a number of awareness programmes about quality management. The programmes targeted heads of units and departments in a bid to increase awareness of officials about the quality system and the importance of implementing it.

The e-conversion plan

During 2014, the Ministry has implemented six stages of promoting its e-services and systems. We also developed the e-services strategy and ensured that it is consistent with the national e-Oman strategy. We have also attended a number of workshops and seminars organized by ITA.

During the first quarter of 2015, the MRMWR, in collaboration with ITA, have floated the first tender for providing modern systems for issuing municipal and water licenses electronically. We also floated the tender for creating the municipal and water services portal. The project includes a number of smart applications and PDAs that will be used from anywhere where internet is available to get the Ministry's services. The Ministry will also implement a system for the management of customer services. The system includes the creation of an integrated call centre that render its services to citizens and beneficiaries round the clock.

© Oman Economic Review 2015