Details are included in the draft national budget for 2019 and 2020, a copy of which has been obtained by the GDN.

Bahrain plans to spend more than BD1.3 billion on 66 new projects in the space of two years.

Almost three quarters of the projects planned will be financed with money from a GCC bailout.

A total of BD951.6m in GCC money will fund 73 per cent of the schemes over the two years, split BD475.5m this year and BD476.1m next year.

The rest will be paid for from Bahrain’s national revenues, at a rate of BD200m each year.

That means Bahrain will spend BD675.48m on projects in 2019 and BD676.08m in 2020.

The complete draft budget was submitted by Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa yesterday to the heads of parliament and the Shura Council.

Meetings are due to commence with representatives of both chambers and a government delegation tomorrow.

Social housing accounts for the biggest chunk of project spending (28pc), followed by public works and roads (24pc), electricity and water networks (17pc), transportation infrastructure (10pc), youth and sports facilities (5pc) and educational, health and social services (5pc).

The rest, 11pc, has been earmarked for miscellaneous projects.

“The project line-up is impressively excellent and reflects the government’s drive towards growth and development,” parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee vice-chairman Ahmed Al Amer told the GDN.

He said it also revealed progress had been made in terms of slashing its administrative and manpower costs.

“Frankly everyone was under the impression that projects would see cuts,” he said.

“But we are speaking about some of the highest spending on projects valued at more than BD1.3bn over two years.

“It is clear that the government wants to maintain its strength in all sectors. Initial impressions are that it is much more than we were hoping for.”

According to the budget, Bahrain has so far received BD839.35m from a 2011 pledge of support from its neighbours.

The two-year project budgets allocated to government ministries for 2019 and 2020

Housing Ministry: BD372.61m, split BD178.4m this year and BD194.21m next year

Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry: BD320.54m, split BD154.34m this year and BD166.2m next year

Electricity and Water Authority: BD234.14m, split BD107.94m this year and BD126.2m next year

Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry: BD140.288m, split BD80.87m this year and BD59.41m next year

Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry: BD66.71m, split BD28.3m this year and BD38.41m next year

Health Ministry: BD30.872m, split BD19.75m this year and BD11.12m next year

Education Ministry: BD19.73m, split BD11.9m this year and BD7.83m next year

Labour and Social Development Ministry: BD13.9m, split BD9 this year and BD4.9m next year

Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Ministry: BD3.93m, split BD430,000 this year and BD3.5m next year

Bahrain Polytechnic: BD2.3m, split BD800,000 this year and BD1.5m next year

Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Rera): BD2.2m, split BD1m this year and BD1.2m next year

Survey and Land Registration Bureau: BD1.33m, split BD720,000 this year and BD610,000 next year

Information Affairs Ministry: BD6m, divided equally for each year

Customs Affairs: BD4m, divided equally for each year

Bahrain University: BD2m, divided equally for each year

Bahrain’s four municipalities: BD39.87m, split BD18m this year and BD21.87m next year

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