As of the 3rd of this month, a total of MVR 1.68 billion has been disbursed to local councils as block grants, representing a 17.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This year’s budget features the largest financial allocation for councils in history, with a total of MVR 2.5 billion earmarked, of which the Malé City Council receives the most significant share. Furthermore, to enhance the financial capacity of local authorities, the government has decided to revise the budgetary allocation framework to include land area as a key metric alongside population size.
