TEHRAN – The national budget bill for the next calendar year (starting on March 20, 2020) has proposed 6.38 trillion rials (around $151 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) for the Department of Environment, a nearly twofold increase compared to the current year’s budget of 3.73 trillion rials (nearly $88 million), ISNA reported on Tuesday.

President Hassan Rouhani submitted the administration’s draft of the national budget bill for the next year to the Majlis on Sunday, which amounted to about 1.988 quadrillion rials (about $473.5 billion), with a 14-percent rise from the current year’s approved budget. 

Supplying basic goods, treatment and medical equipment; securing livelihood; supporting production and employment; promoting tourism; and preserving water resources and environment are the focal points of the bill.

The DOE’s budget will be spent on air pollution management, sustainable conservation and exploitation of aquatic ecosystems, conservation, restoration and refinement of onshore biodiversity, conservation of protected areas, protection of rangers, and promotion of public participation in environmental protection.

$67m proposed for FRWMO

The Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO) will be also provided with a budget of 2.83 trillion rials (around $67 million), compared to the current year’s budget of 18 trillion rials ($45 million).

The fund will be used for watershed management and conservation programs, restoration, development and utilization of the country's forests, rangelands and natural resources, in addition to promotion and empowerment of local communities.

FB/MG