TEHRAN - The Iranian parliament approved the general outlines of the national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year 1402, which starts on March 21.

During an open session of Majlis (Iranian parliament) on Sunday, the national budget bill for the next year was put to a vote and 169 MPs out of 235 MPs who were present voted in favor of it and the generalities of the bill were approved.

Talfiaq Committee, a body consisting of MPs from different committees, which is established each year to study the national budget bill, approved the general policies of the bill for the next year on January 17.

President Ebrahim Raisi submitted the administration’s draft of the national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year to the Majlis on January 11.

The president mentioned stable economic growth, people’s livelihood, observing justice, and efficiency of the government system as the main approaches of the budget bill and stated: “In this bill, the establishment of a progress and justice fund in all provinces is foreseen so that the development credits of the provinces are paid systematically.”

Raisi also said, “We have included the important points considered by the Leader in the general policies of the Seventh National Development Plan (2022-2026) in the drafting of the 1402 budget bill.”

As reported, reforming the budget structure, creating transparency, attracting governmental and private sector investments for completing semi-finished projects, and implementing the government's integrated financial management system are highlighted in the budget bill for the next year.

The proposed budget amounted to about 52.616 quadrillion rials (about $131.54 billion at the free market rate of 400,000 rials), with a 40 percent rise from the current year’s budget.

MA/MA