Author(s): Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning
Resource Type: Case studies
Countries: Oman
Keywords: Administrative Procedure, E-Government, Urban Development, Innovations, Internet, Open Data
Choose your land
Source in Arabic: ENACT Case Study - Choose Your Land, Oman
"Choose Your Land" is a comprehensive system that provides multiple housing services. Eligible individuals for government residential lands can access the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning's online services portal, then choose the "Choose Your Land" service. Beneficiaries receive a text message informing them of the start of the available options selection process. They have the choice of selecting one of five options, and they receive the land location via a text message and on an interactive maps platform. The other option is "Acquire Your Land," which allows them to select specific land with government support and view the land location through interactive maps. The system also supports direct electronic payment.
Principles supported
- Responsiveness
- Transparency
- Inclusiveness
- Effectiveness
Technology focus
Communication technologies (high-speed/broadband Internet) - Cybersecurity Technologies - Open Data - Geospatial technologies (GIS, positioning and remote sensing).
Purpose
The Choose Your Land system is an innovative idea developed in 2021 to eliminate the traditional lottery method for prioritizing and distributing land to beneficiaries. It responds to requests for residential land in areas where people reside or work, in a way that meets their needs. Modern technologies were used to automate the land lottery and ensure the humane, equitable and transparent distribution of land. The listings, regulations, and conditions for applications were revised guarantee that land distribution is based on priority and necessity. This helps in providing suitable housing for citizens and reduces the burden of travel and waiting at the central services.
Contributors/ Partners
- General Directorate of Land and its subordinate departments
- Information Technology Department
- North Systems Company
- Department of Identity and Communication
- Legal Department
Functions and/or Features
- The system helps employees working on land distribution and other activities in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. Benefits include:
- Access to e-services: Enabling eligible applicants to to access the Ministry's website.
- Choice of land: Providing multiple options of housing to enable eligible applicants to choose the land that suits their needs and the needs of their families.
- Text notifications: It sends text messages to notify beneficiaries of the start of the land selection and the available options.
- Advanced information: Provide detailed information on the available locations, including interactive maps that allow applicants to navigate the specific land location.
- Purchase option: Possibility of direct purchase of the selected land through e-payment.
- Government support: Providing residential land at government-subsidized prices to facilitate access to housing.
Outcomes, impacts & changes
Strengthening the humane principle in public services to respond to social and economic needs. This is through the provision of multiple options for suitable housing that ensures whttps://www.housing.gov.om/ell-being and psychological comfort, whether close to the family or to the workplace. This approach allows citizens to save their spending on rent and to reduce the cost of transportation. It also promotes the principles of equality, transparency and justice in the selection of citizens.
Challenges
The migration of data from the old database to the new system faced challenges related to data accuracy, due to its incompatibility. This required the manual correction of data, and the allocation of extra time for completing the task. In 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic reduced the pace of work and communication with the partners, as well as hindered the supply of technical equipment and servers due to shipping and logistical issues.
Lessons learned
Innovating to establish a one-team and gaining experience in project and risk management.
Early planning is one of the most important achievements of the project.
Public participation is a key component in change management and identifying the requirements that meet the needs of society.
