TEHRAN — The focus of the government officials last week, which coincided with the 41st anniversary of the Sacred Defense and the beginning of the new school year, was to pursue and remove obstacles with an emphasis on reducing poverty and completing semi-finished projects.

The diligent efforts of the officials of the Raisi administration for the development and prosperity of the country are not hidden from anyone despite the fact that it started its work in early August. 

From the very beginning, the president took over the executive responsibility of the country with the slogan of "people-oriented administration", and this orientation has been reflected in the provincial trips of government officials with the aim of increasing social capital and hope, pursuing affairs, removing obstacles and resolving problems, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Economic development and reduction of poverty along with sustainable employment are among the most important strategies and priorities of the administration, which in this regard the completion of semi-finished projects can pave the way for development of the country’s border and near regions.

Experience has indicated that the greater the presence of officials among the people, the more correct and close to reality the decisions and policies adopted will be, and the more efficient the administration will be leading the affairs to be more transparent.

Last week, September 18-September 24, a number of national figures visited provinces.

The visits took place concurrent with Sacred Defense Week ceremonies, honoring wartime veterans, the start of the academic year, inspecting projects, etc.

At a time that the country is grappling with the Coronavirus pandemic, the members of the administration have tried to get first-hand information about problems in provinces and the progress of the projects under construction.
 
This report refers to a selection of the most important measures, achievements and remarks of cabinet members in the host provinces last week, including Ilam, Yazd, Khorasan Razavi, Hamedan, West Azerbaijan, Khuzestan, Qom, and Alborz.

Ilam, destination of the fourth visit by president

Ilam province was the destination of the president's fourth provincial trip. Raisi arrived in the province on Friday, September 24, along with a group of government officials on a one-day trip to the province.

President Raisi, upon entering the province, referred to Ilam’s proximity to Iraq, sand said: "With the activation of border markets, border exchanges, especially exports, will increase in this province."

Visiting the Kanjancham Dam in Mehran city was one of the president's plans during the trip.

On the sidelines of the visit, he stressed the administration is making efforts to complete the semi-finished projects.

He warned that an abandonment of such projects would undermine social trust.

Attending a cemetery of martyrs in the border province, Raisi said the key to progress and victory in the country is to move in the path of martyrs and wartime veterans with sincerity and jihadist spirit.

"Any manager and official who acts with a revolutionary spirit and with unwavering service to the people will achieve all the lofty goals of the system," the president remarked.

The president's face-to-face meeting with the people and addressing their problems were other plans of Raisi during his visit to the western province of Ilam.

After being informed of the problems and hearing about suggestions and demands of the locals, the President called on the governor of Ilam to take the necessary measures to resolve the problems.

Helping to solve the housing problem, supporting knowledge-based research initiatives and projects, removing barriers to production in the field of animal husbandry and agriculture, and providing the necessary facilities and equipment for the education of students were among the issues raised in face-to-face meetings.

Also in a meeting with the ulema, elites and families of the martyrs and war veterans in his one day tour of the province, the President said, "Exports to Iraq and other neighboring countries should be developed and infrastructure should be prepared in this regard."

The main points of the President's remarks during the provincial tour were:

- The most important capacity of Ilam province is capable manpower, especially the youth.

- The people of Iran are beholden to Ilam, the people who were at the forefront of the battlefield during the holy defense.

- The people of Ilam heroically stood against the Ba'athist regime of Iraq against Iran and sacrificed many martyrs for the sake of Islam and the revolution.

-The message of the martyrs is that we should not allow the ideals of the revolution and obedience to the Supreme Leader to lose color in society. Also justice for the oppressed and the dignity of the Iranian nation should not be undermined.

Ilam, Khuzestan and Kermanshah provinces suffered the greatest losses during Saddam Hussein’s war against Iran in the 1980s.

The president had previously traveled to the provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan and South Khorasan.

Sistan-Baluchestan and South Khorasan are among the less developed provinces in Iran. Khuzestan was also the scene of protests over water scarcity in July mostly resulting from droughts and cultivation of water intensive crops.