Muscat – A total of 783 water licences were issued in February 2023, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR).

In a statement, MAFWR said, ‘The licences issued include requests for registering wells, dams and aflaj, for drilling wells, and development projects in various governorates.’

According to MAFWR data, the maximum number of licences – 167 – were issued in Dakhliyah, followed by 162 in Dhahirah, 121 in North Sharqiyah, 99 in North Batinah, 97 in South Batinah, 55 in South Sharqiyah, 49 in Buraimi, 27 in Muscat, two each in the governorates of Musandam, Al Wusta and Dhofar.

“The ministry deals with licence requests based on technical requirements and gives conditional approvals in coordination with other government agencies,” a ministry official said.