Program to deal with unhealthy housing standards; cost 30 billion dirhams

The Moroccan anti-unhealthy housing program needs a budget of 28.8 billion DH (US$ 2.5 billion), including 17.21 billions (US$ 1.5 billion) for unauthorized housing and 11.6 billion DH (US$ 1 billion) for shanty towns.

The program will be financed by recipients (12.67 billion DH or US$ 1.1 bln) and public subsidies (13.52 billion DH or US$ 1.17 bln).

The state subsidies will be raised from the special tax on cement, while the Hassan II fund for development will allocate 400 million DH, an additional 300 million Dh will come from local councils and the state general budget will earmark 300 million DH.

The housing department says that up to September 2001, 518,787 families live in unauthorized dwellings and 262,128 others live in shanty towns.

The program will benefit 629,784 households.

The figures were released by secretary of state for housing, Mohamed Mbarki at a press conference to present an international conference on future housing to be held this June 12-14.

Morocco is also finalizing a draft law to deal with these issues.