Jordan Times
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Ministry readies national plan for socio-economic development
AMMAN (Petra) — To complement the government's socio-economic transformation programme launched in 2001, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation readied a national plan for socio-economic development between 2004-2006.
The plan, with an $4.4 billion
estimated budget, was endorsed by the Cabinet last May.
According to the ministry's sources, the development plan is based on clear
strategies and practical policies as well as well-defined executive programmes.
Financial requirements and needs to carry out these programmes were carefully
studied, the sources said noting that the plan relies on the private sector as a
driving force for economic growth.
The national plan was the result of coordination among different ministries and
public institutions as well as the ministry's efforts to follow-up on citizens'
needs in different areas, the same sources indicated.
The financing of the plan is expected to come from additional grants,
contributions provided by international donors to the Kingdom and a tranche of
the proceeds from the privatisation programme.
The plan includes human resource development projects, at a cost of around $593
million. These projects aim at advancing public and higher education, vocational
training, culture and the youth.
The plan also aims to promote the goverment's basic services, including water,
sewage and infrastructure projects at a cost of $2.669 billion.
Furthermore, the ministry's scheme will work to develop the country's 12
governorates in a bid to alleviate poverty and reduce the unemployment rate at a
cost of $842 million.
Another $334 million are earmarked for the reform of the public sector.
Moreover, the ministry has established a control unit to reassess and evaluate
the plan and ensure its effectiveness.
The plan has been prepared in a bid to deal with the challenges facing the
country, including poverty, unemployment, the significant distortion of the
labour market, capital recession, the budget deficit and the great reliance on
foreign assistance.
Under the plan, it is hoped that the Kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP) will
grow at a rate of six per cent. The plan will also work to diversify the
country's exports, open new markets and boost the competitiveness of its
products.
Besides reducing poverty and unemployment rates, the objective is to reduce the
gross public debt to 73.4 per cent of Jordan's GDP.