The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has announced the Citizen Investment Plan for Beni Suef Governorate for the current fiscal year 2023/2024, as part of its ongoing efforts to disclose the citizen plan in all governorates of the Republic for the fifth consecutive year. The aim is to raise awareness among citizens about the directions and priorities of the sustainable development plan for the fiscal year 2023/2024 and its role in achieving "Egypt Vision 2030."

Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, emphasized that the development plan pays special attention to Upper Egypt regions by applying a financing equation in directing investments based on developmental gap indicators. At the same time, there is a focus on making a breakthrough in specific provinces that have not received adequate attention before to maximize the utilization of their resources, wealth, and developmental potential. She explained that launching the "Citizen Plan" reflects the state's keenness to involve citizens in the efforts to develop the planning and monitoring systems, aiming to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development, addressing developmental gaps between different governorates, localizing sustainable development goals, and achieving Goal 17 of the global Sustainable Development Goals, "Partnerships for the Goals." She stressed that the citizen is the real focus of development, hence the necessity to empower them and provide them with information about the programs and developmental projects implemented by the state, adding that all developmental plans adopted by the state aim to improve the quality of life for citizens, which cannot be achieved without active community participation, in line with "Egypt Vision 2030."

El Said pointed out that the number of developmental projects in Beni Suef Governorate amounts to 274 projects, with the value of public investments directed to the governorate under the 2023/2024 plan reaching 3.9 billion Egyptian pounds.

Regarding the sectoral distribution of public investments targeted in Beni Suef Governorate under the 2023/2024 plan, the report of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development indicated directing investments worth 1 billion pounds to the transport sector, accounting for 25.5%, followed by the local development sector with 801 million pounds, representing 20.5%. Investments in the higher education sector amount to 742 million pounds, representing 19%, while the housing sector receives 376 million pounds, accounting for 10%, and pre-university education sector 270 million pounds, representing 7%. Other sectors are allocated investments worth 710.5 million pounds, accounting for 18%, in addition to projects directed through the Egyptian Rural Development Project "Decent Life."

The report explained that the number of villages targeted in the first phase of the "Decent Life" initiative in Beni Suef Governorate is 66 villages, with a beneficiary population of 956 thousand people, of which 48% are females. The initiative projects, which achieve all sustainable development goals, include establishing 6 social units, 12 agricultural service complexes, 14 ambulance points, 42 health units, in addition to establishing 780 classrooms, 123 schools, 4 family development centers, a rehabilitation center, 6 drinking water stations, 66 sewage projects, 8 treatment stations, 63 mobile network towers for fiber optic network connection, 29 youth centers, 12 government service complexes, in addition to establishing 26 post offices, 12 police points, and rehabilitating and lining canals over a length of 160 km, paving main and internal roads over a length of 400 km, constructing 36 irrigation bridges, and implementing 66 electricity projects for natural gas network connection.

The report further clarified that the plan aims to implement 127 developmental projects in the field of local development services in Beni Suef Governorate, 51 projects in the housing sector, with the most important developmental targets in this sector directing around 311.3 million pounds for drinking water and sanitation services.