Arabian Business reported that the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for Distribution will sell cooking gas in 4 of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates at the same price as liquefied petroleum gas in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan president of UAE said that cylinders weighing 25 pounds will be sold at a subsidized price of AED 20 in Ajman, Ras al Khaimah, Umm al Qaiwan and Fujairah. The decision is part of the President's keenness to ensure the means of comfortable and decent living for all citizens across the country.

The UAE’s five northern emirates have benefited less from capital Abu Dhabi's vast oil wealth or trade and property fuelled development in business hub Dubai which helped morph the UAE into an oil powerhouse with the world's eighth highest per capita income at USD 47,000.

The world’s third largest oil exporter pledged in February to spend AED 5.7 billion in its poorer emirates Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al Quwain to expand key water and electricity networks and fund major road and transport projects.

The federation has also introduced bread and rice subsidies and hiked military pensions. It is hoped the investment in infrastructure will cut the increasing number of blackouts seen in the emirates as a growing population and increased electricity demand outstrips supply.

Ms Elissar Sarrouh UNDP resident representative said that the uneven development between the emirates could fuel tensions if the gap between rich and poor continues to widen. The economic development model of the UAE is not unified. One of the focus areas of UNDP in the UAE is bridging the regional disparities gap and focus on sustainable human development and poverty reduction in the northern emirates.

(Sourced from Arabian Business.com)