Dubai: From a single room and only three employees in the 1940s to becoming a key driver in the growth of a global city, the Dubai Municipality is among the largest establishments that employs more than 11,000 people in 35 departments and 28 buildings.
The growth has not merely been in terms of numbers, it has also been in the quality of services which are on a par with international standards embracing the latest in technology.
The DM is one of the first departments in the region to launch a web portal.
"It was in line with the call given by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for e-transformation. It was a pioneering effort to transform all the services offered to the public to electronic," says Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality.
"The process of development in the portal is still continuing as services do not stop and do not end. The world of internet is a vast sea without any limit or stop."
Diverse services
The e-government project was initiated in 2001 with the intention of offering 40 of its services through its web portal.
By 2009, around 500 services were automated and, presently, most of the services offered by the municipality are automated.
The DM today has 35 departments providing services across diverse segments.
From public health and safety, new projects, planning and buildings, environment to certification, the civic body's range of services spreads to almost all segments of public utility.
So whether it is the quality of food that you eat, the air that you breathe, your home, workplace — it is the civic body that facilitates comfort of living.
Keen on developing and capitalising on local human resource, the DM has been undertaking numerous Emiratisation initiatives.
Of its 11,473 employees, 100 per cent of the top officials are Emiratis while the percentage of Emiratisation in middle level official posts goes up to 87 per cent. Khalid Zayed, Director of Human Resources Management, said: "The municipality has been keen on developing and capitalising local human resource these days and take it as one of the basic requirements for the development of the nation."
Vision
As Dubai continues its path to progress and captures a place of pride worldwide as a truly ‘global' city and a business hub, the Dubai Municipality (DM) remains key to supporting this growth and moving ahead with its vision to "create an excellent city that provides the essence of success and comfort of living".
