Saudi king to inaugurate $4.26bn of projects in Qassim

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman will on Wednesday inaugurate more than 600 projects worth over SAR16bn ($4.26bn) during a visit to Qassim region.

The development projects will cover education, housing, roads, environment, water, electricity, public services and other areas, Saudi Press Agency cited the region’s governor Prince Faisal bin Mishal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz as saying.

Among the launches will be 402 projects in 12 sectors worth SAR12.15bn ($3.23bn). The monarch will also lay the foundation stones of 199 projects in the government sector worth SAR4.2bn ($1.1.bn).

Upon arriving in the region on Tuesday, King Salman also ordered the release of all insolvent prisoners whose financial obligations do not exceed SAR1m ($267,000) if they are not convicted of any criminal offence.

The stopover forms of a kingdom-wide tour by the monarch, who is expected to inaugurate similar projects in other regions.