AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday endorsed incentives, exemptions, and facilities to advance the National Water Carrier project, including a zero rate of general and special sales tax on all project supplies.

 

The incentives were approved during Sunday’s Cabinet session, chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan.

 

The government would also cover income tax, withholding tax, national contribution obligations, customs duties, service fees, and the temporary import of vehicles, machinery, and equipment essential for the project, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

 

The decision comes amid intensified government preparations to begin implementation next year. The project aims to desalinate 300 million cubic metres of Red Sea water annually, benefiting nearly four million citizens, the statement read.

 

The Cabinet approved an amended Buildings and Urban Planning Bylaw for 2025. Under the amendments, restrictions for licensing investment projects related to street width have been eased, allowing projects on streets narrower than 12 meters if the plot is served by more than one road, to encourage investment.

 

Judicial subdivision and co-ownership termination transactions are exempt from the requirement to obtain occupancy permits, simplifying procedures for these cases, the statement read.

 

The Cabinet approved the 2025 Bylaw for Leasing and Owning Real Estate Outside Petra Archaeological Reserve and Other Archaeological Sites. The bylaw aims to stimulate development in Petra by allowing citizens to legally invest in frozen properties and form partnerships within licensed entities for service, tourism, and development projects, benefiting both the local community and visitors.

 

According to the bylaw, only Jordanian legal persons may own land, provided Jordanian partners hold more than 51 per cent of shares, with reciprocity applied to non-Jordanian partners. Ownership also requires Cabinet approval, based on recommendations from the Petra Development and Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Interior, in line with Petra’s master plan, the statement read.

 

Leasing is allowed for non-Jordanians and legal persons outside the reserve and archaeological sites, provided reciprocity is observed, with any breach rendering the lease void.

 

The Cabinet also endorsed the justifications for the draft Post-Care bylaw for Orphanage Graduates for 2025, to be referred to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to precede with the official approval procedures.

 

The draft bylaw constitutes the first comprehensive legislative framework regulating the post-care phase for orphans and children without family support after leaving protection and care institutions at age 16, establishing a clear and safe path for social integration, the statement read.

 

The Cabinet also approved the principles for setting school fees for non-Jordanian students, deciding that the actual cost of their education in public schools will be collected, based on the recommendation of the Minister of Education.

 

Under the new principles, the cost of educating non-Jordanian students will be determined by the relevant committees within the Ministry of Education.

 

The decision exempts students in grades one through six, children of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians, children from the Gaza Strip residing in the Kingdom, and students registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

 

For non-Jordanian students not included in the exempted categories, the tuition fee per semester will be JD300 for academic secondary education (grades seven through ten) as well as vocational and technical education, while education remains free for Jordanian students.

 

The number of non-Jordanian students in public schools is estimated at around 48,000, with total education costs exceeding JD38 million annually. The decision will apply to approximately 15,000 students, allowing the collection of JD9 million annually—about 30 per cent less than the actual cost, which will be directed to the Ministry of Education to enhance the quality of public school education.

 

The Cabinet also endorsed a one-time cash grant for more than 248,000 families benefiting from the National Aid Fund programme, as a winter assistance allowance to help cover additional seasonal expenses. The total value of the grant is estimated at JD5 million and will be disbursed from the allocations set aside in the 2025 budget.