TEHRAN – National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)'s Gas Distribution Director Saeid Momeni said 73.6 percent of the country’s rural areas have been connected to the national gas network by the end of the current Iranian calendar year’s first quarter (June 21).

According to the official, the NIGC has it on the agenda to supply gas to 10 villages every month, that means by the end of the current year 3600 villages will be connected to the gas network, Shana news agency reported on Saturday.
The number of the cities connected to the national gas network, has also increased to 1117, which is 96.9 percent of the country’s total urban areas.
Earlier in January, Iranian parliament (Majlis) approved a bill to allocate 50 trillion rials (about $1.16 billion) for expanding the country’s gas network to new rural areas.
According to the bill, the banks would provide NIGC and provincial gas companies with the mentioned fund under the Oil Ministry’s guarantee.

EF/MA