Majlis A’Shura today held its 13th ordinary session of the 9th Term’s First Annual Sitting during which the Majlis discussed the verdict of the Shura-State Council Joint Committee on matters of discrepancy about the Value Added Tax (VAT) Draft Law.

                  Earlier, the Council of Ministers forwarded the VAT Draft Law to Majis A’Shura, describing it as an urgent issue, and decided to send back the draft of the law to the State Council for completion of formalities.

                   The session was headed by Khalid bin Hilal al-Ma’awali, Chairman of Majlis A’Shura.

                  During the same session, the Majlis endorsed the view of the committee of Education and Research about the project of an agreement on cooperation with the Government of Hungary. The cooperation agreement, in the field of higher education, was forwarded by the government to the Majlis.

                   The members also listened to replies sent by ministries about audit instruments proposed earlier by the Majlis members, including the allocation of certain oil and gas activities as exclusive to Omani firms.

                  They also listened to queries on procedures undertaken to repatriate non-Omani manpower, a proposal on developing Arabic language teaching and the suspension of the issue of wood collection and charcoal.   

                  The members listed to a ministerial reply related to the economic and financial status of the mining sector, the challenges posed to this sector and its contribution to the Sultanate’s Gross Domestic Product, in addition to the issue of crushers and quarries’ mechanism of functioning.ONA