HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, confirmed on Tuesday in the House of Councilors that the Royal Program to Reduce Spatial and Social Disparities in the Rural World has achieved qualitative progress in the axis of breaking isolation and strengthening roads and pathways, which directly reflected on improving the living conditions of millions of citizens in rural and mountainous areas.
Akhannouch explained, during the monthly questioning session on the topic of "Territorial Development and the Stakes of Achieving Spatial Justice," that the number of municipalities with good road access increased from 791 municipalities in 2016 to 1104 municipalities, a significant increase of 40%. He considered that this development reflects the government's commitment to the fair distribution of public investment, and to ensuring the fair territorial localization of development. The Head of Government pointed out that the achievements in this workshop were not limited to numbers, but had a direct impact on the daily lives of the population, as the program included the construction and maintenance of 26,509 kilometers of rural roads and pathways, in addition to the construction and reconstruction of 223 technical facilities. He highlighted that these efforts contributed to facilitating access to schools and supporting school transportation, which positively reflected on school enrollment rates, especially among girls in remote areas, as well as improving access to health services and hospitals. He affirmed that improving road accessibility has produced wide social and economic transformations, as the new infrastructure contributed to enhancing transportation services, by providing taxis, dual transport and buses, which led to reducing transportation costs, lowering travel time, and increasing the pace of economic exchanges and local commercial activities. The program also enabled the creation of more than 115 million workdays, and provided about 346,000 direct and indirect job opportunities. Akhannouch concluded by emphasizing that the achieved results reflect the correctness of the Royal vision, and the effectiveness of the consistent territorial approach adopted by the government to ensure balanced and comprehensive development that restores consideration to rural and mountainous areas, and grants its population the conditions for a decent life.
