Ourtzagh (Taounate) - HM King Mohammed VI inaugurated, on Monday in Ourtzagh commune (Taounate province), a water treatment station of the Al Wahda dam's reservoir, as part of an integrated project to supply Ghafsai, Ourtzagh and nine rural communes with drinking water, for a total cost of 75 million dirhams.
- The Sovereign enquired about the progress in the programme to generalize access to drinking water in the province of Taounate, for a total cost of 815 million dirhams.
- The projects will enable to secure the drinking water supply and fulfil the long-term needs of the province’s population.
On this occasion, the Sovereign enquired about the progress in the 2004-2012 programme to generalize access to drinking water in the province, worth 815 million dirhams.
The integrated project to supply Ghafsai, Ourtzagh and neighbouring rural communes with drinking water fulfils the needs of 86,000 inhabitants, spread out over 231 douars (small villages).
In addition to the new plant, with a capacity of 100 letters per second, this project includes the building of a raw water intake at the Al Wahda dam’s reservoir, the installation of an 8.6 km raw water supply system, the setting up of a tank of 500 m3 and a treated water pump.
HM the King was also given explanations on the programme to supply the rural population of Taounate province with drinking water, carried out by the national drinking water company (ONEP) for the period of 2004-2012, worth 815 million dirhams.
This program, which benefits 306,000 inhabitants, managed in its 2004-2010 first phase to increase the access to drinking water from 59% in 2004 to 87% in 2010, for a total investment of 267 million dirhams.
The second phase, which is currently underway for a total cost of 548 million dirhams and will benefit 136,000 inhabitants by 2012, aims to make the access to drinking water supply reaches 98%.
HM the King enquires about arboriculture projects in Taounate province, worth over MAD 227 mln
Sidi Yahia Beni Zeroual - HM King Mohammed VI enquired, on Monday in the rural commune of Sidi Yahia Beni Zeroual (province of Taounate), about 2010-2011 projects to develop arboriculture initiated in the province as part of the Green Plan, worth over 227 million dirhams.
- The sovereign enquires about two projects to develop goat’s milk and cheese, worth over 40 million Dirhams
- The program to develop the province’s local products aimed at promoting medicinal and aromatic plants
- HM the King launches a pilot project to plant olive trees on 140 ha
The monarch was provided with details on the 2010 program which includes six projects to plant olive, almond and fig trees on 2,974 hectares, worth 75,65 million dirhams.
The two-year program also aims to plant Oliver trees on 2,224 hectares, fig trees on 500 hectares and almond trees on 250 hectares, in addition to developing hydro-agriculture and creating 13 production and technical assistance unities.
The 2011 arboriculture development program aims for the plantation of Oliver, Fig and Almond trees on 7,400 hectares, worth 152 million dirhams, with a view to benefitting 9,910 farmers from 17 rural communes.
The program seeks to boost the income of the beneficiaries, through generating up to 160 million dirhams added value and creating 1,270 stable jobs.
In the same occasion, HM the King was informed about two projects to develop goat’s milk and cheese production, with a total cost of 40 million dirhams.
The cheese production development project will benefit 800 breeders, through building and equipping a cheese production unity and providing breeders with technical assistance and supervision.
The milk production development project will benefit 190 breeders, through building and equipping several milk production facilities, which will increase milk production from 506,000 to 3,000,000 litters a year and help the breeders’ outcome to rise from 13,455 to 62,130 dirhams a year.
HM King Mohammed VI also enquired about the program to develop the province’s local products, with a focus on promoting medicinal and aromatic plants, worth 5 million dirhams and benefiting 50 farmers.
The sovereign also launched a pilot project to plant olive trees on 140 ha in the outskirts of the rural commune of Sidi Yahia Beni Zeroual.
This project, which is supervised by the Agriculture Minister, is aimed at the plantation of three improved species of Oliver trees.
HM the King inaugurates health center in Fennassa Bab El Hit commune (Taounate province)
Fennassa Bab El Hit (Taounate) - HM King Mohammed VI inaugurated, on Saturday in Fennassa Bab El Hit commune (Taounate province), a health center, worth 1.77 million dirhams.
- The Sovereign enquires about the project of rebuilding a health center in Jbabra commune, for a total cost of 1.86 million dirhams.
- HM the King hands over 10 ambulances and 14 all-terrain vehicles to several rural communes.
The Sovereign visited the new health facility that includes a waiting room, a medical consultation room, another of maternal health, child and paramedical treatments, a pharmacy, a main nursing office, health buildings and two medical staff housing.
The project, which will benefit 12,554 people, aims to strengthen health infrastructure in the province and improve the citizens’ access to health services.
The Sovereign was also given detailed explanation on the project to rebuild a health center in the rural commune of Jbabra, for a total cost of 1.86 million dirhams.
This project, which will benefit 18,961 of the commune's inhabitants, will contribute to open up this area, improving the citizens’ access to health services, extending medical coverage and ensuring better healthcare for women and children.
This center includes the same facilities as those of the Fennassa Bab El Hit health center.
Afterwards, HM the King handed over 10 ambulances and 14 all-terrain vehicles to several rural communes, worth 7.233 million dirhams.
This initiative will improve the access of the remote areas’ inhabitants to health services, reduce infant and maternal mortality, especially during childbirth, and facilitate the organization of medical caravans in the region.
HM the King enquires about projects to support education sector in Taounate province
Thar Souk (Taounate) - HM King Mohammed VI enquired, on Saturday in Thar Souk commune (Taounate province), about the projects to support the national education sector initiated under the integrated development priority programme of Taounate province's rural communes (2009-2011), for a total cost of 18 million dirhams.
- The Sovereign lays foundation stone for the building of student house in Thar Souk commune, worth 2.1 million dirhams.
- HM the King hands over 14 school minibuses to the communes benefiting from the programme.
These projects, which are funded by the Agency for the promotion and the economic and social development of the prefectures and provinces of the north, aims at promoting school enrollment and fighting against school wastage in the targeted communes, creating conditions of stability for the educational staff in remote areas and improving the education system's performance.
The actions planned to support the education sector, which benefit the inhabitants of 24 communes, focus chiefly on purchasing 14 school minibuses, building 24 teacher houses and two student houses, extending and renovating two other houses and providing five students houses with equipments.
HM the King also laid foundation stone for the building of a student house in Thar Souk commune, with a capacity of 80 people, worth 2.1 million dirhams.
The Sovereign handed over 14 school minibuses to the communes benefiting from the programme. The 5-million dirham minibuses will contribute to improving the conditions of schooling for the rural students.