His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday ordered the establishment of a JD15 million fund to implement a series of development and income-generating projects in the Governorate of Tafileh.

The fund, called the Tafileh Development Fund, will be affiliated with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, with a mandate to create jobs for residents and enhance living conditions in the southern governorate.

At a meeting with notables and representatives from Tafileh, some 200 kilometres south of Amman, King Abdullah ordered the Prince Zeid Ben Al Hussein Military Hospital to treat the governorate’s residents for a year at no charge.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hashem and Prince Ghazi, personal envoy and special adviser to the King, attended the meeting.

The King also ordered the formation of a committee grouping the Royal Medical Services and the Ministry of Health to study health conditions in the governorate to improve the services provided to the residents of the town and surrounding villages.

King Abdullah also instructed the government to execute several development projects in the fields of public services, education, health, youth and housing as well as developing the city centre at a total cost of JD8 million, and ordered the dispatch of a committee to recruit 1,000 persons from Tafileh into the security services.

Tafileh representatives reviewed the governorate’s demands, highlighting the high rate of poverty and unemployment among its residents. They also called for measures to combat corruption.

Senator Mohammad Roud said despite limited natural resources, the country has been capable of overcoming challenges and stressed the need for preserving achievements in the country.

He also reviewed the governorate’s demands, which include the creation of a public hospital, providing financial support to Al Tafileh Technical University and implementing planned infrastructure projects.

MP Nidal Qatamin stressed the need to create jobs for Tafileh youth and to tap the potential of touristic sites in Tafileh.

He also reiterated the call for the creation of an industrial estate in the area.