Dubai: The Dubai Government may undergo a major restructuring process aimed at bringing a number of independent government associations and authorities under government departments.

A top government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Gulf News that no final decision has been taken yet on merging independent government associations under the general government departments, but confirmed that it would be a strong option in the near future.

In his capacity as the head of the Dubai Budget Committee of 2010, Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said on Monday that Dubai will maintain a balanced budget in 2010 that will take into consideration the needs of development including its major expansion projects of infrastructure.

The police chief said the committee is working on a budget with no deficit or at least is working to reduce the Dh4.2 billion deficit in 2009 to a minimal level over the next year.

Dubai has a long list of independent government agencies and institutions that have evolved in the past five years to match the swift pace of growth and enhance flexibility of the government.

Possibility of integration

Another top government official said, requesting anonymity, said Dubai has more than 40 government institutions and associations that work independently, but the possibility of integrating them into government bodies is not finalised yet.

The list includes over 40 commissions that have been working independently, each of which has an individual budget with freedom of spending on projects.

This list includes the Dubai Health Authority, the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Housing Establishment, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Mohammad Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders, the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Culture, Mohammad Bin Rashid Leadership Development among others.

Abdul Rahman Al Saleh, Director-General of the Department of Finance, did not confirm the restructuring decision while speaking to Gulf News. He said that what has been reported in a section of the media is inaccurate and "would be clarified when we release the 2010 budget report in a couple of weeks".

"Heads of the departments and chiefs of local government authorities exercised maximum cooperation with the budget committee. The results of such cooperation will be clear in next year's figures. I have no doubt that Dubai will have a sound budget that will keep the pace of development at its best level," Lieutenant General Dahi said.

He said there will be no cut in salaries or basic allowances of government employees and the government will focus on enhancing the productivity of its entities.

Unfair attack

Earlier this month, he criticised the deliberate mix-up between the financial condition of Dubai World and Dubai as a government. He said Dubai has been under unfair attack and that the financial situation of the government is sound and stable.

"I don't see why there was a big fuss about Dubai World restructuring plan although the company has never said it will not be able to pay back its debts.

"Dubai World asked its debtors to wait for some time till it finalises its restructuring operation and that has nothing to do what-soever with the financial situation in Dubai," he said.