Baghdad Municipality: Integrating Agricultural Lands Under Decision 320 into Capital's Master Plan with Prices Up to 350,000 IQD/Meter

Baghdad Municipality announced on Friday the official incorporation of agricultural areas covered by government Decision No. 320 into the capital's master plan. The Municipality affirmed its intention to grant ownership of 13 agricultural sections, noting that the transfer of ownership for 5 of these has already been completed. The spokesperson for Baghdad Municipality, Uday Al-Jandil, stated that since the issuance of Decision 320 in 2022, the Municipality has initiated surveying, classification, and preparation processes for selling lands to families occupying state-owned agricultural properties. Al-Jandil clarified that some Municipality-owned sections have been finalized, emphasizing that the law does not permit changing or selling lands belonging to other ministries without first transferring their ownership to the Municipality. Al-Jandil added that Baghdad Municipality is currently re-surveying 13 sections and issuing title deeds to their occupants who have built permanent residential homes. He indicated that work has been completed in Section 15 in the Fadhiliya area, as well as in Section 13 (Na'iriya and Kiyara) within the New Baghdad sector. Regarding the prices of these lands, Al-Jandil explained that the Municipality has sold them at varying per-meter rates, depending on the nature of each area. Prices per meter reached 350,000 Iraqi Dinars in some areas of the New Baghdad sector, while prices in other areas within the Waldaya, Mneysif, Shama'a, and Kura'a sections, located in the Al-Ma'amil sector in the Hay Al-Batul area, ranged between 150,000 and 175,000 Iraqi Dinars per square meter. He noted that pricing is determined by a specialized committee based on specific criteria that consider location, in addition to the economic situation of low-income and poor families. He further explained that the decision stipulates collecting only 10% of the total amount upfront, with the remaining 90% to be paid in installments over 20 years, in accordance with the Council of Ministers' decision. Concerning changes in the city's master plan and services, Al-Jandil affirmed that these areas have been officially incorporated into Baghdad's master plan after their classification was changed from agricultural lands to residential areas with full ownership (Tabu Mulk Sarf). He stressed that their inclusion in the master plan allows the Municipality, by law, to provide necessary services as soon as allocations and liquidity are available, as services cannot be provided to agricultural lands unless they are officially reclassified. Al-Jandil continued by stating that the Municipality is ongoing with its surveying and classification efforts to grant ownership of state-owned agricultural lands that do not conflict with public utility projects. He clarified that the Municipality communicates with all ministries to ensure the absence of future projects such as hospitals, security centers, oil pipelines, or strategic electricity transmission lines; ownership is prohibited in case of conflict, and procedures are completed for areas free of such conflicts. Al-Jandil concluded by stating that 5 sections have been transferred and sold to their occupants so far, and work is continuing in the remaining Municipality-owned sections. As for sections owned by other ministries, their ownership must first be transferred to Baghdad Municipality before design and sale procedures can commence. He affirmed that Baghdad Municipality is considered the first government department and institution to begin selling state-owned and encroached-upon agricultural lands in accordance with Decision 320.