(MENAFN - Arab News) The World Bank, which takes part in the comprehensive plan for the development of Taif, contracted consultants for 60 workdays to study the project's outcome.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said the development plan would divide the city into three sections: Old Taif area; the city's western side, which includes Al-Hada highlands; and the New Taif area, where the airport, Okaz market, Taif Techno Valley and industrial zone are located. These locations are now witnessing the execution of a number of projects, as all government bodies had received the designated lands, he said.
Prince Khaled was speaking while presiding over the third meeting of the Higher Committee for the Development of Taif Governorate at his office in Jeddah Tuesday. The committee was formed last year at the order of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah aimed at presenting a comprehensive development project to regain Taif's tourist and economic position.
It consists of the Makkah governorate, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), and the Ministry of Finance. The meeting included Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb, SCTA President Prince Sultan bin Salman, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, in addition to Taif Gov. Fahd bin Muammar, Taif Mayor and committee Secretary-General Muhammad Al-Mokhrej as well as a number of officials from relevant bodies.
The prince said summer visitors to the biggest Saudi tourist and summer resort city were expected to increase in the next few years, and it is necessary to develop services to cope with the number.
During the second meeting at the SCTA headquarters in Riyadh, the committee had approved that the Finance Ministry would immediately allocate a budget and provide it to the committee's general secretariat.
It had also decided that the ministry, through the public investment fund, would allow the World Bank to designate 60 workdays for the consultants to be contracted and review the project's outcomes. The committee further had approved to prepare a comprehensive development plan for Taif municipality and support the municipality by providing qualified manpower.
This plan should be finalized and presented in three months in coordination with the ministries of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Finance. The second meeting had decided that all major development projects in Taif had to be approved by the higher committee.
Some of the projects would be referred to Taif municipality to include them in the budget it presents to the Ministry of Finance annually, and they would be awarded based on the government's procurement and competition system.
