(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) The Council of Ministers on Monday issued a statement about its meetings held in January and February:
'As part of the Royal Interest of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in prioritising the basic needs of society, facilitating access of services for citizens, the Council of Ministers, during its meetings held in January and February, came out with a number of decisions that have economic, social and cultural dimensions.
Some of them are:
€¢ As part of efforts to promote youth and involve them in various developmental programmes, the Council of Ministers reviewed the annual report of the National Youth Commission (NYC) in the presence of the chairman of the State Council and the chairman of the Commission.
The report highlighted various efforts and achievements in this regard. The commission, during its initial stage, focussed on developing its internal bylaws to regularise its work and structure. The Council of Ministers stressed on the importance of highlighting the talents of youth and benefiting from their energy. It also stressed on the importance of instilling and promoting awareness of the national culture.
€¢ On the plan to accommodate jobseekers at public and private sectors, the Council stressed that it is important to complete the appointment of the required numbers in the national plan and notify the Council of steps taken in this regard.
€¢ As part of efforts to integrate government institutions, the Council emphasised that it is important to continue implementing the decisions approved, especially those related to services and public utilities.
€¢ The Council confirmed that the ministers of Transport and Communications, and Information will deliver statements about their ministries before the Majlis A'Shura. It also confirmed that the Minister of Social Development will attend the Majlis A'Shura to discuss issues related to the ministry.
€¢ Noting the scarcity and the growing demand for planned layouts, the Council assigned the Ministry of Housing to develop new guidelines for regularising the allocation of plots in residential layouts.
€¢ The Council granted approval for Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) to issue a decision that Arabic be used apart from English in invoices to maintain consumers' right to know details of commodities they are buying and the services rendered. It said that the respective agencies should be given suitable time to prepare for implementing this decision.
€¢As the water sector is closely linked to economic growth, the Council of Ministers approved the strategic long-term plan of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water to develop the sector and make it compatible with Vision 2040. It said the plan should enhance the efficiency of operations and regularise them to ensure private sector partnership and investments.
€¢ Looking at the social and economic importance of traditional markets and their links to the sultanate's history and heritage, the Council said that respective agencies shall formulate controls to develop such markets, increase the availability of Omani traditional and cultural products, provide outlets and marketing centres for them, encourage Omanisation of traditional crafts, provide training programmes and ensure growth of national manpower in crafts industries.
€¢To keep pace with rapid developments in road safety and looking at the remarkable development witnessed by the sultanate in road transport and traffic, and to preserve human and economic resources, the Council of Ministers approved the draft amendments to the Traffic Law, which will be referred to the Council of Oman.
€¢The Council of Ministers agreed that the sultanate would host the international meeting on 'Education For All' in May 2014. It also approved the sultanate's full-fledged membership in the Gulf electrical linkage scheme. It also approved the National Oncology Centre at The Royal Hospital joining the International Union for Combating Cancer as its member.
€¢ The Council of Ministers approved setting up a directorate general at the Ministry of Social Development to care for the disabled.
€¢The Council approved chalking out a strategy to develop natural sanctuaries.
€¢The Council referred to the Majlis A'Shura Oman's cooperation agreement on international road transport with Jordan, the agreement on avoidance of double taxation and income tax evasion with Spain.
€¢The Council okayed the State Council's proposal to hold between April 15 and 16 the National Symposium on the Best Omani Social Practices - Towards Eff
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