The UAE government has approved housing aid worth Dh322 million ($88 million) for a total of 449 Emirati nationals under its Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, said a report.

The move comes following the directives of President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the follow-up of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs in this regard, reported state news agency Wam.

The programme has approved support for 7,000 beneficiaries since January this year, as part of its plan to meet the UAE National Agenda leading to the UAE Vision 2021, it stated.

The housing support includes 325 loans and 124 residential grants, said the report citing Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme.

This batch of beneficiaries is the last to be announced by the programme in 2017, he added.