Amendments have been proposed to the law that would allow the government to take over land that falls under the jurisdiction of local councils for the implementation of development projects.
The proposed amendment to the "Decentralisation Act of the Maldives" was submitted by Thulhaadhoo Parliamentarian Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru as an independent bill.
According to Parliamentarian Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru, the purpose of the bill is to establish a clear legal framework to ensure the full cooperation of councils in advancing government development projects efficiently and without unnecessary delays. He also stated that the amendment aims to streamline the procedures relating to land required for state development projects.
Among the proposed changes is a provision allowing the Cabinet of Ministers to decide that land and locations under the jurisdiction of a council may be removed from that jurisdiction if they are required for a government development project. The bill further states that such land may be transferred to the government even before the physical development plan of the relevant island or city has been approved and brought into effect.
The bill also requires councils to provide full cooperation when the government undertakes projects that serve the collective interests of the public within an island or city under their jurisdiction. It further specifies that councils must not take decisions or actions that, without valid justification, obstruct or delay such projects.
The proposed amendment comes amid concerns raised by various government ministries that some island and city councils have failed to cooperate with certain government-led development projects. The government has stated that this lack of cooperation has prevented some projects from progressing at the required pace and has caused implementation delays.