The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has announced that the Government will allocate MVR 160 million to fund discounts on electricity and water bills this Ramadan, continuing a benefit programme introduced by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's Administration last year.

President Dr Muizzu announced the initiative on February 23, 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to ease financial burdens typically associated with the holy month. This year's allocation represents an increase from the MVR 130 million spent on similar discounts during Ramadan last year.

Speaking to state media, State Minister of Tourism and Environment Dr Muaviyath Mohamed said that if bills exceed the average from previous months, the excess would be covered through the discount programme. He added that every household would receive at least a 10 per cent discount on both electricity and water bills.

Director General of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment Ahmed Ali explained that energy consumption typically rises during Ramadan as families spend more time at home and use air conditioning to maintain comfortable living conditions. He stated that these discounts would help address the potential financial difficulties this might cause.

Following President Dr Muizzu's directive, Male' Water & Sewerage Company (MWSC), STELCO, and Fenaka Corporation, have established frameworks to implement the discount program.

The common approach includes calculating each customer's "normal month" usage based on their average consumption over nine months of 2024, excluding February, March, and April, the warmest months. All domestic customers will receive at least a 10 per cent discount, with automatic application of discounts if April bills exceed the calculated average. The 10 per cent discount will also extend to new customers who have no historical usage for comparison.

Each provider has made specific adjustments to address implementation challenges. STELCO announced on February 26 that meter readings would begin on February 27 throughout all service areas. Notably, they will prepare just one bill for the entire Ramadan period this year, with initial readings taken on February 27 and final readings scheduled for March 30. This addresses a significant challenge from last year when they had to include the discount across two monthly bills.

Fenaka Corporation highlighted that their transparent discount structure allows customers to estimate their utility costs in advance, providing peace of mind by eliminating concerns about unexpectedly high bills during the holy month. They also clarified that customers whose Ramadan usage falls below their historical average will still benefit from the full 10 per cent discount.

The utility discount scheme forms part of the Government's comprehensive Ramadan relief package, which includes distributing canned tuna to households and implementing measures to stabilise food prices. President Dr Muizzu has also designated the final ten days of Ramadan as Government holidays to allow citizens more time for family and worship.