KUWAIT CITY, March 18: The Housing Committee at the National Assembly has approved a draft bill on the construction of 10 residential cities, says Committee Rapporteur MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi.
Speaking to reporters after the committee meeting Thursday, Al-Abdulhadi revealed the panel approved the bill in the presence of representatives from the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). No other details were provided.

On the other hand, Al-Abdulhadi said the committee also approved a draft bill on the ‘inherited’ quota — the value of inherited real estate over which government loans are not granted — increasing it from KD 200,000 to KD 300,000.

He added the panel approved the proposed amendment to the Savings and Credit Bank law to allow citizens, who obtained the KD 70,000 housing loan, to apply for a second loan if the first house is sold.
Meanwhile, the Public Amenities Committee deliberated on the proposed reselling of plots in Blocks 3 and 4 in Kheitan, since the government had earlier recommended the sale of these plots through public auction to citizens.

Committee member MP Saadoun Hammad disclosed he presented a proposal on limiting participation in the public auction to citizens, who have forwarded housing grant applications, as they will be given preference to benefit from these plots and find immediate solutions to their problems, especially since they have long been waiting for the approval of their applications.
Hammad affirmed the committee also discussed the proposed redistribution of old houses in Block 10, Kheitan and he added to it the redistribution of old houses in Ahmadi as both areas have been facing the same problems for quite some time. 
He added the committee discussed several other proposals but the voting was postponed until next week, except a proposal on reducing the waiting period for promoting noncommissioned officers in the fire service to lieutenant from 15 years to 10 years, which was quickly voted on during the meeting.
Moreover, Committee Chairman Dr Faisal Al-Muslim expressed his disappointment over the absence of the concerned ministers in the meeting.  He had previously asked the ministers to provide copies of reports, decisions and studies on the current situation in Kheitan since the government has yet to issue its official stand in this regard.  He said the committee will meet again next week to approve these draft bills and refer them to the Parliament.