The ministerial agency of regions affairs was established to improve the living standards of the Saudi citizen. Sooner this agency has become one of the leading departments that works with other departments to realise the goals of the ministry of interior.
The Agency is administratively linked to the ministry of interior. It can be divided into several departments as follows:
First, General Administration for Regions Affairs:
This administration includes four sub-departments: regulatory and administrative affairs dept.; development plans dept.; councils affairs dept.; and information management.
Tasks of the department of regulatory, administrative affairs
- Participate in conducting studies to define the administrative boundaries of regions, its governorates and centers.
- Express an opinion with respect to separation or merge of the administrative regions.
- Participate with the ministry of municipal and rural affairs to develop specific criteria for the classification of villages and districts in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tasks of the department of development plans
- Co-ordinate with government agencies with regard to the decisions of local councils, their economic and development reports.
- Participate in conferences related to planning and local development.
Tasks of the department of councils affairs
This dept. is responsible for the formation of regions councils, their terms of reference and sessions besides members' affairs like appointment, resignation and reward.
Functions of the department of information management
- Collect demographic and geographic information.
- Contact with the information network in government agencies - such as the ministry of planning, the department of statistics, the workforce council and the branches of information in the ministry of interior.
- Review the administrative divisions of the regions.
Second, General Administration of Public Affairs:
This administration is composed of four departments: Public Services Dept., Hajj Affairs Dept., Public Land Affairs Dept. and Relief and Aid Dept.
Tasks of the department of public services
- Co-ordinate with the concerned government agencies on issues of public services and utilities and grant licences to some of the important activities.
- Participate in proposing and organising sports and recreational activities.
- Play a significant role in issues relating to the environment, public health, tourism and antiquities.
Tasks of department of Hajj affairs
- Perform secretarial work for the supreme hajj committee.
- Co-ordinate with the relevant security services and private institutions in the Hajj season.
Functions of the department of public land affairs
- Address issues relating to pastoral areas, forest, agricultural lands and water sources.
- Look in issues relating to encroachment on government land, farms, roads and valleys.
- Express an opinion on disputes that may arise in oil and mining areas.
- Provide advice to solve problems that may arise as a result of management interventions.
Tasks of the department of relief and aid
- Deal with damage caused by natural disasters and consider assistance to citizens.
- Participate through special committees in the immediate relief and compensation work.
- Look in applications from citizens relating to the exemption from government loans and applications for debt settlement assistance.
- Supervise external relief work.
Third, General Administration of Desert Affairs:
This administration controls the desert affairs through two departments: the department of sheikhs' affairs and the department of studies and development.
Tasks of the department of sheikhs' affairs
- Deal with matters concerning the appointment of the sheikhs.
- Follow-up all of the instructions issued with respect to them.
Tasks of the department of studies and development
- Handle disputes resulting from conflict on land and tribal border in the desert.
- Propose policies to inhabit the desert and develop methods of living for nomads.