Local and rural development constitutes the backbone of integrated development and one of the main dimensions of comprehensive national development in Egypt.

 

It aims at achieving developmental balance between governorates on the one hand and between rural and urban areas on the other, in addition to gearing up investments possibly to promising zones. With these objectives in mind, the scope of action of the Ministry of Local and Rural Development (MOLRD) has been determined in several programs on top of which are the information map, the infrastructure of governorates, youth projects, investments, industrial areas, small industries, housing services and health and environmental welfare.

 

 

Investments under the local and rural development program have reached LE 2.7 billion covering general investments. The program aims at giving a stronger momentum to the development of basic services in villages and districts as well as spreading crafts industries at urban and rural areas, thus diversifying work opportunities available for youth and implementing industrialization programs at rural areas.

 

 

Self-help efforts and popular participation are some of the main underpinnings for achieving the national objectives of investment plans for economic and social development as they support government efforts in establishing and developing service projects. Popular participation and contribution have reached LE 859.200 million with a contribution rate of 66 percent to implement 13,566 projects in various governorates.

 

 

Total investments assigned to the national integrated rural development program “Shorooq” reached LE 350.5 million in 2002/03 including LE 98 million in popular contribution to implement 11,547 projects distributed over 26 governorates, in addition to the city of Luxor, in order to serve 4565 villages.