His Majesty King Abdullah II on Sunday affirmed that poverty is a top priority and a problem that should be addressed to help the poor to become efficient tool in development.



"The development we want is the one that starts from the grassroots where the poor could participate in it and become an efficient tool to push the process of development forward," said during a visit to Wadi Arab villages of Finan and Greigrah in southern Jordan where housing units have built for 35 of impoverished families upon orders by the King.



The projects for the benefit of poor families are being carried out within the frame of a clear strategy to ease suffering of the poor and create an infrastructure that offer them income generating projects, the King told reporters during the tour.



"I'm fully aware of the problems and worries of the country particularly those related to poverty and unemployment...and that is why I'm personally following up and supervising projects that serve the underprivileged groups so that they can be carried out as soon as possible," King Abdullah said.



The role of government is a significant and strategic one to curb the effect of poverty and unemployment, the King added.



The King, who was accompanied by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Basem Awadallah, toured the housing project in the two villages and met with families at their homes to listen to their demands and problems.



Pledging support to any creative plan to improve living of the villagers, King Abdullah urged local people in the two villages to think of projects that could help create job opportunities for them.



The King ordered medical treatment to some patients and offering financial aids to more than 120 poor families and ordered expanding the housing project to include other poor families as well as expanding the two villages' school and providing with necessary teaching equipment.