President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on Friday night, announced his administration’s decision to double the budget allocation for Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) and to review the fiscal formula for block grants to local councils to take into account the size of the island, irrespective of its population.
In a post on his official X accounts, the President said the government will be doubling the budget allocation for WDCs, raising it from five per cent to ten per cent from the 2026 Budget onwards in a move intended to further enhance the role and capacity of WDCs.
He also announced that starting from next year, Ramadan allowance for WDC members will be provided through council budgets, rather than being drawn from the committees’ own budgets.  The initiative to provide Ramadan allowances to WDC members was first introduced last year under this Administration.
In another post on X, President Muizzu announced his administration’s decision to revise the fiscal formula used to allocate the Government’s general block grants to councils in accordance with Article 79 of the Decentralisation Act He explained that the revised formula would consider the size of the islands, noting that the current system has put some councils at a disadvantage. This adjustment is expected to be included in the proposed 2026 Budget.
The President suggested updating the fiscal formula for block grants allocated to councils, emphasizing that although some islands have smaller populations, the scale of municipal services required remains substantial due to their geographic size.
The changes come with the local council and WDC election scheduled for next year.