Bahrain’s housing ministry and Eskan Bank have said housing loans in the kingdom in the first half of the year grew 121% to BD32.2m ($8.54m), compared with BD10.5m spent in the same period last year. The total is part of plans by the lender to provide 2,500 housing units between 2012 and 2016. Eskan Bank has invited contractors to bid for the construction of 1,800 units in Isa Town, Hamad Town, Karbabad, and Bandar Al Saif for low-income families.