AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Stressing that the figures and estimates show that this year’s economic growth, except for oil, has been positive, the President said, "In the past 9 months and despite the intensification of sanctions and pressures, the current budgets have been paid in time and 34 trillion tomans of development budget has also been paid so far”.
While presenting year 1399 budget bill to the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said, “The enemies’ plots to affect Iran’s economy have failed and the government has taken considerable steps based on people and the parliament’s wish and demands in macroeconomics”.
Dr Rouhani added, "I thank God for being able to present next year’s budget to the parliament in the deadline set for it, as it has been the case for the previous two years”.
Stating that last year’s budget was presented to the parliament under the most severe sanctions, he said, "We promised you that the government will do its utmost to make the budget law realised, along with the steadfastness of the great Iranian people and other pillars of the system”.
The President continued, "In the 9 months of year 1398, current budgets have been paid on time and 34 trillion tomans of development budget has been paid so far, and major projects have either been inaugurated or will be inaugurated by the end of the year”.
Dr Rouhani said, "While our enemies, Americans and Zionists, thought that they could make the nation and the government incapable by their severe sanctions, they have become disappointed with the implementation of the budget law to date and this disappointment will continue in the future”.
The President reiterated, "Based on what the Iranian people and MPs have wished, the government has been able to take significant steps in the macroeconomics over the past nine months, despite the adverse budget and economic conditions”.
Referring to this year’s heavy rainfalls, he continued, "Although these rainfalls have created problems in 21 provinces across the country, the harvest statistics in Khuzestan Province are very promising”.
Emphasising that we will continue this agricultural project in Khuzestan and Ilam provinces, he said, "In hot regions, we have taken great steps and as you know, many dams have been opened over the past months, and during the term of the 11th and 12th governments, a total of 35 dams have been inaugurated so far, which means that the economy is on the right track”.
Dr Rouhani said that last year, Iran's gas production in South Pars was more than Qatar for the first time in the history, adding, "In the year 1392, our production was half that of Qatar and their production was twice that of us”.
“We have made good progress in the areas of agriculture, water, energy, roads and communications and gas supply to villages,” he said, adding that in the field of housing, the shortage will be addressed in a plan developed by the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The President reiterated, "Contrary to what Americans thought they would undermine our economy through sanctions, we chose the right path in all these areas”.
Referring to what is important in the year 1399 budget, Dr Rouhani said, "The first thing is that next year, just like this year, our budget is based on withstanding the sanctions. This budget announces to the world that despite sanctions, we will run the country, especially in terms of oil”.
The President said that next year’s budget does not rely heavily on oil, saying, "You will see in the budget tables that the revenue that is estimated for crude oil and gas, is very close to the amount we estimated in the development budget”.
Dr Rouhani added, "The country had 57% self-sufficiency in food energy at the beginning of the 11th government, and today it is above 73% to 74% and by the end of next year it is predicted that self-sufficiency in food energy will reach 82%. This means a great transformation in the agriculture sector”.
The President noted, "Before the 11th government took office, the entire modern irrigation system in the country covered 1.3 million hectares and today, 2.3 thousand hectares of modern irrigation system has been implemented and will double with what will be implemented next year and by the end of the government”.
“We have achieved self-sufficiency in energy today, and it is important that we export gas to different countries even in winter,” he continued.
Dr Rouhani noted that in the past, our gas exports would almost stop in the winter, adding, "Today, exports to various countries continue even in winter cold conditions, and we are self-sufficient in oil, gas and petrol, and we even export them".
On the government’s work in the field of environment, he said, "Apart from Lake Urmia where conditions are very promising, the conditions of wetlands are better than past years”.
The President then referred to the implementation of the Healthcare Reform Plan, emphasising, "This plan will continue as in the past year, and the Healthcare Reform Plan is one of the 11th and 12th Governments’ source of pride".
Dr Rouhani added that we all know we are having problems exporting oil, but at the same time we are trying to reduce the hardship of people's livelihoods, saying, "We are doing our best to reduce these hardships a little and make them bearable”.
Dr Rouhani added, "I have good news for our dear representatives and nation. Our economic relations with neighbouring and non-neighbouring countries have improved in recent months and we hope to improve our relations with these countries".
"Our temporary entry into the Eurasian Economic Union means that our goods and products will be exported with better figures without tariffs or with very low tariffs," the president said.
He continued, "We are going to implement the same plan soon with Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan and other countries”.
Dr Rouhani added, "Regarding our plans for investment, out of Russia’s $5 billion investment in Iran, over $2 billion has already been finalised and the rest will be operational in 2020”.
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source : President.ir
Sunday
8 December 2019
12:23:06 PM
992268
Stressing that the figures and estimates show that this year’s economic growth, except for oil, has been positive, the President said, "In the past 9 months and despite the intensification of sanctions and pressures, the current budgets have been paid in time and 34 trillion tomans of development budget has also been paid so far”.