DM unveils five-year strategic plan for 2007-2011

Addressing a meeting of senior officials of the municipality and media persons, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, said the plan has been laid down in full harmony with the Strategic Plan of Dubai Government and it takes into full consideration the future challenges.

"The Strategic Plan of Dubai Municipality has two aspects: operational and executive. We will give full powers to each department to apply various provisions of this plan - just like a private company does. Responsibility and transparency will be the key-words," he said.

Shedding light on the major features of the plan, Maryam Al Hammadi, Assistant Director of Administrative Development and Quality Department and Head of Performance Management Section, said, the municipality has identified 14 key strategic areas to focus on. One of them is "Enhancing Planning, Constructional and Beautification Standards and Conservation of Architectural Heritage". In this area, the plan seeks to accomplish 90 per cent of the building and construction projects (including public parks, public libraries, markets, drainage projects, irrigation projects, and environment projects) in an innovative manner and within the stipulate time; plan for and develop 32 new areas in the emirate; restoring 53 historical buildings; achieving a minimum urban growth rate of 5 per cent; increasing the per capita green area to 23.4 square meter; increase the cultivated land in urban areas of Dubai to 3.15 per cent by 2011 (in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority); designate at least 25 per cent of the available land as residential lands (accumulative); and increase the number of accredited establishments in different fields to 120 by 2011.

In the area of "Enhancement, Improving and Diversifying Client Services," the strategic plan seeks to raise customer satisfaction to 90 per cent by the year 2011; to solve 75 per cent of customer complaints; and to provide at least 100 new services.

In the area of "Protection and Conservation of Environment, Public Health and Safety," the plan seeks to raise the percentage of areas connected with the city's drainage net work to 100 per cent by 2011; reduce sewage water carried by tankers to 5 per cent; the percentage of pure and clean air should be at least 70 per cent; percentage of safe marine water should be at least 90 per cent; increase the volume of treated waste to 10 per cent annually; percentage of the recycled waste should be at least 40 per cent annually; expand the area of natural sanctuaries to 10 per cent; the work injury rate at the municipality should not exceed 0.7 injury per every 100 employee; reduce the percentage of samples of food and bottled drinking water that do not comply with the hygiene prevailing standards to just 5 per cent; reduce the percentage of contraction of communicable diseases like Aids and Tuberculosis among staff of establishments that relate to public health to less than 100 contraction for each 100,000 staff annually; reduce the percentage of contraction of animal diseases to 0.5 per cent; increase the percentage of buildings that comply with internal air quality standards to 70 per cent; increase the percentage of public places that comply with a smoking ban; and reduce the percentage of samples of products and commodities that do not comply with existing standards and specifications to 45 per cent.

In the field of "Enhancing Financial Efficiency and Effectiveness", the plan seeks to cover 100 per cent of the municipality's expenses with its annual revenues (retaining self-sufficiency); increasing DM revenues by five per cent (through ideal utilization of the municipal resources); cut operational costs by 5 per cent annually; and increase the maintenance of municipal properties by 95 per cent annually.

In the field of "Developing Human Resources with Distinguished Skills" the plan seeks to nationalize 75 per cent of its manpower by 2011; provide at least 20 hours of average training to each employee; and increase the percentage of DM staff trainees to 82 per cent.

In the field of "Positive Role in Community Service", the plan seeks to increase the level of community satisfaction to 90 per cent (including their satisfaction at the general cleanliness of the city); and to implement at least 300 community awareness and education programmes by the year 2011.

Other strategic areas the plan focuses on include Motivation of Human Resources; Electronic, Technological and Knowledge Transition; Applying International Specifications & Excellent Practices; Adherence to Rules and Regulations; Ensuring a Flexible Legislative Environment; Achieving Corporate Excellence; Cooperation with Partners and Suppliers; and Developing Customers' Loyalty.