Budget 2024: MVR 10m from Fushidhiggaru project reassigned for territory dispute

MVR 10 million has been budgeted for the government's efforts to recover the “lost” part of the country's waters by reducing from the MVR 400 million allocated for the land reclamation of the Fuishidhiggaru lagoon, from the total MVR MVR 49.5 billion budget presented to parliament for the next year.

The Budget Committee meeting held on Thursday evening passed the budget by a majority of the members present in the committee.

The Fushidhiggaru reclamation project is being implemented by new President Mohamed Muizzu’s government. It is the most important and the biggest project of this government.

The Fushidhiggaru project’s budget includes a direct budget allocation of MVR 1.4 billion for the next three years.

The budgeted expenditure for the project, which is planned to be implemented under the Ministry of Housing, is as follows:

The plan to start the dredging of the lagoon within the first 100 days of the government is also included in the masterplan.

The funds allocated for the project have been allocated for various aspects of the budget, while MVR 10 million has been earmarked for the endeavour to reclaim the lost sea territory in the country's south. The work is also scheduled to be done within 100 days.

According to the government, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)’s ruling in the Maldives verses Chagos dispute had caused for a part of the southernmost sea territories to be lost. It is the commitment of this government to propose a review of ITLOS’ decision.