Municipalities get annual public subsidies

Mount Lebanon and Beirut top the beneficiary list

The municipalities and municipality unions will receive subsidies approved by the Council of Ministers, in 2012, totaling $325 million. Around 12 percent, or $38.5 million, will go to municipality unions. The rest of the subsidy, $286 million, is dedicated for municipalities. Five percent of the subsidies allocated for municipalities will be transferred to the Civil Defense Independent Fund.

The Beirut caza received a subsidy of $48 million. The Mount Lebanon Muhafaza received $63 million distributed to: the Metn ($16 million), Baabda ($15 million), Chouf ($11 million), Kesrouan ($9 million), and Jbeil ($4 million). Ghobeiri will get the highest subsidy among Baabda areas with $2.7 million. Burj Hammound and Jdeideh-Bauchrieh-Al Sed come in second with a little over $2 million.

The North Muhafaza received a total of $41 million, distributed as follows: Akkar ($15 million), Tripoli ($14 million), Minieh Donnieh ($6 million), Zgharta ($4 million), Batroun and Koura ($3 million each), and Bcharri ($2 million). Minyeh and Zghorta-Ehden will receive the largest allocations, with a value of $1.3 million.

The Bekaa Muhafaza received $35 million distributed to: Baalbeck ($15 million), Zahle ($10 million), West Bekaa ($5 million), Rachaya ($3 million), and Hermel ($2 million). Zahle-Maalqa-Taanayel will receive $4 million, the highest amount among other regions in the Muhafaza.

The South Muhafaza received $24 million distributed to Tyre ($11 million), Sidon ($10 million), and Jezzine ($3 million). Sidon is the highest paid municipality with $3.6 million.

The Nabatieh Muhafaza received $25 million distributed as follows: Nabatieh ($8 million), Bint Jbeil ($8 million), Marjayoun ($6 million), and Hasbaya ($3 million). Nabatieh city will receive the highest subsidy of $1.3 million.

Unions of municipalities are divided according to the population count and the number of member municipalities. According to population count, the unions of Tyre and Fayhaa received the largest subsidies of $2 million each. Based on the number of municipalities, Kesrouan Ftouh, Jbeil, Jabal Amel, Zgharta, and Batroun unions of municipalities received the largest subsidy of $624,000, collectively.