Noting that more than a quarter of the population lives in villages, he said the main purpose of “the biggest development programme in the provinces” is to attain a better quality of life and a more predictable future.

The cabinet aims to increase the rate of employment in villages and improve transport, as well as education, health care, cultural and sports life.

The Ft 135 billion will be drawn from the Ft 3.5 trillion budget of the Modern Cities Programme.