Transport Minister Aishath Nahula says the delay in starting minibus services in Male' was due to the lack of budget at the ministry.
Responding to queries by the MPs today at the parliament, Minister Nahula said that the ministry had done a lot of work to start the minibus services in the capital but has been unable to begin the services due to the lack of a sufficient budget.
Minister Nahula noted that starting minibus services in the capital is a pledge President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had made prior to his appointment as President and highlighted that all other transport-related pledges have been fulfilled.
She said even though it has not been included in the budget, the Ministry had tried to secure free aid for the project through the foreign ministry and was currently awaiting an answer from the foreign ministry.
The Ministry also said that the government had allocated MVR 16.9 million for the project and that this was not enough for such a project.
She assured that work on the minibus project would be underway once the ministry secures the required budget.
