KUWAIT: Oil and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh (right) talks with MP Talal Al-Sehali during a parliament session at Kuwait’s National Assembly

KUWAIT: The cabinet will reassess the fees imposed on state-owned properties, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Oil Anas Al-Saleh said during yesterday’s National Assembly session. Minister Saleh said that all industrial lands owned by the state had recently increased their fees in accordance with the status quo of the market. He noted that an international company was assigned to look into the economic situation in Kuwait as part of the government’s efforts to provide feasible services and prices for the public. Cooperation with the National Assembly will enable the cabinet to carry out steps to increase the state income by 10 to 14 percent, said the minister.

Meanwhile, the session agreed on a draft proposal to amend some items within article 37/1993 of the housing welfare law. The amendments included a proposal to speed up the process for allocating government housing for citizens with the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) carrying projects for a period of five years without previous surveillance from the State Audit Bureau (SAB).

Minister of State for Housing Affairs Yasser Abul said that the draft law came up with nothing new, revealing similar discussions were made on the issue previously. The law, if passed, will be a huge responsibility for the ministry and PAHW; however, it may speed up the process of providing housing for citizens, said the minister. —KUNA