Al-Zaidi Reveals New Criteria for Private Sector Workers' Inclusion in Million Residential Land Plot Initiative

Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi affirmed on Thursday that the million residential land plot project will target private sector workers who have retirement deductions and social security subscriptions, provided they do not own a private residence. This announcement followed his chairmanship of the fifth regular session for 2026 of the Higher Committee for Coordination between Provinces. Al-Zaidi and attendees discussed general provincial conditions, with a focus on service and livelihood aspects. The session, held with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Education, Agriculture, Justice, and Industry, the PM's Office Director, the Cabinet Secretary-General, and the Head of the Higher Committee, addressed key topics. At the session's outset, the Prime Minister reviewed the new investment cities initiative, encompassing fifteen administrative investment cities across all provinces. Al-Zaidi clarified each city would span no less than ten thousand dunams and be as close as possible to city centers. He noted the initiative includes providing Central Bank loans to provincial investment bodies for infrastructure development, alongside encouraging banking facilities for investors. Designs, he emphasized, would be crafted by a specialized consulting firm, considering each province's unique identity and features. Al-Zaidi directed forming a committee in each province to define its needs for the new investment city. Regarding the million residential land plot project, the Director of the Prime Minister's Office, who heads the steering committee, presented progress and completion rates per province. He also discussed the deployment of provincial staff to real estate registration directorates to finalize procedures, highlighting the need for coordination between governors and the Ministry of Construction on external infrastructure. The meeting approved several significant decisions and recommendations: * **Investment Cities Initiative:** Committee formation approved, chaired by the General Coordinator for Provincial Affairs, including governors and PM Office/Coordination Committee representatives. Its role: prepare lands for new investment cities (min. 10,000 dunams each, near water/city centers), resolving legal issues for handover to the National Investment Commission for infrastructure development. * **Agricultural Contract Compensations:** Ministry of Agriculture tasked with a detailed report on compensations for revoked contracts. Provinces, with the Ministry of Construction and Housing and other relevant bodies, to discuss external infrastructure projects for covered cities (wastewater treatment plants, water purification plants, and providing electricity). * **Stalled Investment Licenses (Baghdad):** A committee, chaired by the PM's Legal Advisor, to study and address legal, technical, and administrative obstacles facing specified stalled projects, proposing solutions with defined timelines. * **Stalled Investment Licenses (Nineveh):** Committee formed to investigate reasons for unsigned investment project contracts in Nineveh. * **Secondary Roads:** Amendment to paragraph (3) of item two of Committee Decision No. (31 of 2023) approved, reclassifying secondary roads (per Statement No. (1 of 2022)) as local roads under provincial administration. * **Youth Forums Support (Baghdad):** Baghdad Province approved to rehabilitate and maintain youth forums. * **Media Affairs:** Recommendations for the specialized media committee overseeing provincial media departments approved.