Ministry: Govt will provide MVR 160mn in discounts on utilities in Ramadan

Households will receive around MVR 160 million in discounts on water and electricity bills during Ramadan, estimates the Tourism and Environment Ministry.

In an interview to Public Service Media (PSM) on Sunday evening, State Minister for Tourism and Environment Dr. Muaviyath Mohamed said he cannot provide an exact figure until the bills are prepared.

But he estimates the figure will amount to around MVR 160 million.

“We did some assessments this year. But we cannot say for sure until Ramadan ends and the discounted bills are prepared,” he said.

“But based on the increase in the average usage and the monthly changes, we estimate the government will provide around MVR 160 million in discounts on electricity and water.”

The Maldives sees an increase in consumption of electricity during Ramadan – especially as it usually falls in the warmest period of the year.

The government has announced a 10 percent discount on both electricity and water this Ramadan.

“There may be households that do not see an increase in the bill. These households will also receive a 10 percent discount. These means that even the households that receive the lowest discount will still receive minimum 10 percent discount,” said Muaviyath.

Providing discounts on utilities during Ramdan was one of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s electrical pledges. In 2024, the government provided MVR 140 million on utilities.