President ratifies Decentralization Act amendment, Urban Planning and Management Act

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday, has ratified the 13^th amendment of the Decentralization Act (Act No. 07/2010) and the Urban Planning and Management Act (Act No: 15/2024).

Both legislatives were passed during the parliament’s 32^nd sitting of the second session on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

The primary objective of the Decentralization Act’s amendment is to integrate the land use plans developed by the city and island councils into the broader Physical Development Plan, as outlined in the Spatial Planning Bill.

Moreover, several revisions have been made to the Decentralization Act, in order to align with the new planning frameworks.

Under the amended Decentralization Act, the requirement that an island or city’s development plan must align with the land use plan prepared by the respective council and approved by the relevant national agency has been revised.

As per the amendment, the development plans must instead conform to the Physical Development Plan of the island or city.

The Physical Development Plan is now formally recognized as the “Island Development Master Plan” when prepared by an island council and the “City Development Master Plan” when prepared by a city council.

The amendment will take effect on the date of the commencement of the Spatial Planning Act.

The Urban Planning and Management Act mandates infrastructure planning that sustainably develops and maximizes economic and social benefits from land. The act also mandates development of laws and regulations that facilitate infrastructure planning in line with decentralization aims of the Maldives government.

The national policy on infrastructure planning will be determined by the President on the advisement of the cabinet. The follow agencies are tasked with drafting, passing, and implementing the plans and issuing land development permits;

Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development

City and Island Councils

Agencies tasked with development of urban areas, industrial areas, and special economic zones

Moreover, the act also stipulates that land in the country may only be developed after obtaining permission that is in line with the said act. It also sets out a development standard that should comply with the criteria set forth in the act and corresponding regulations.

The act will go into effect in six months from the date of ratification.