Govt lands offered for investment on social media

Government lands are very important for planned development of the country. It is the government which decides the use of land in light of requirements of the country and then allocate it to many of its arms. The government gives land to people so they use it in a way that benefits investors as well as the country.

Citizens of the country apply for the government land to benefit from them in various economic sectors. However, some of these people, as soon as they get the land, offer them for investment on several websites, media and social networking sites in their search for investors for a commission which is not mentioned on these platforms.

Some beneficiaries continue with such practices year after year, creating obstacles in the way of real investments.

Neither do they make proper investments, nor do they allow others to do so.

It is true the government grants land for various purposes. They are offered land for industrial, commercial, tourist and agricultural purposes. These include hundreds of thousands of hectares.

They are granted land on the basis of a declared desire to make serious investments with honesty and transparency. All this is done on the basis of clarity in words and deeds.

For such dealings, recommendations, approvals and authentications are required. But there are some who ignore this essential principle.

We will be surprised to hear from some that there is no encouragement for investors. The people who make such a noise are fully aware of the fact that they are lying.

What they want is that all terms and conditions required for investment in the country are ignored and doors are opened for the achievement of their personal benefits.

There are lots of examples of this kind, which are bad. One of them is lands in Ghala Industrial Zone, whose price amounts to hundreds of thousands of rials for each plot. These were offered through an electronic auction.

Some government organisations offer opportunities for the use of land for some years in government landfills. On finding that there is lack of seriousness, the government starts withdrawing lands from them.

On such occasions, mediators offer their ‘services’ to stop the process of withdrawal, even at the cost of growth of the national economy.

Some government organisations offer investment lands designed for vital projects in important sectors such as tourism.

In light of this, only the government subsidizes loans and makes them available through Oman Development Bank. Investors should start putting their plans into action rather than yielding to temptations.

We do not deny the fact that there is a desire and effort for investment by taking advantage of all the opportunities and facilities offered by the government.

These are honest people and their efforts are also noble. Even though they are fewer in number compared with the others. But they are the ones who value the national economy.

We hope there will be a selfassessment and relook at the entire gamut of issues to fill gaps and find a cure for all these ills. We should understand that government land should be used for the benefit of citizens.

Some people, as soon as they get government land, offer them on several websites, media and social networking sites in their search for investors for a commission which is not mentioned on these platforms