TEHRAN – During President Ebrahim Raisi’s second visit to Fars Province, hundreds of development and infrastructure projects in various sectors were put into operation or started.

President Raisi, who arrived at Shiraz airport on Thursday for a two-day visit to Fars Province, was accompanied by almost all of the members of his cabinet.

During the president’s visit, over 103 road transportation projects, 20 infrastructure projects in industrial parks and zones, and over 900 gas supply projects were inaugurated or started.

Development of the Pasargad Steel Complex in Kavar city was another project that was inaugurated by Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Abbas Ali-Abadi during the mentioned visit.

As IRIB reported, 40 trillion rials (about $80.3 million) have been invested to complete the mentioned project.

According to the head of the Fars Province’s Industrial Parks Company, some 7.5 trillion rials (about $15 million) have also been invested to complete 20 industrial and infrastructure projects that were inaugurated in the province’s industrial parks during President Raisi’s visit.

Mostafa Hashemi said the mentioned projects include four major industrial units and 16 projects for developing infrastructure in the industrial parks and zones across the province.

As for the gas supply project, the acting head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)’s Public Relations Office said on Thursday that the mentioned projects include gas supply to two cities, and 63 villages, as well as, 330 industrial projects in the gas industry.

As Shana reported, Mohammad Pishvaei said by supplying gas to the mentioned cities and villages, more than 10,000 households will be provided with access to natural gas through the national network.

The executive operations of gas supply to 41 villages and 500 industrial projects were also started on President Raisi’s order during his visit to the province, he added.

According to the official, over 22 trillion rials (about $44.2 million) have been invested to complete the mentioned projects.

The inaugurated transport projects also included several rural and main roads, road maintenance, safety projects, fixing accident-prone areas, and technical building maintenance projects.

The Shiraz-Isfahan freeway was the most important project inaugurated in the transport sector. This freeway has been constructed in six segments with a total length of 212 kilometers.

With the completion of this project, in addition to advantages such as reducing fuel consumption, the route from Shiraz to Isfahan and the north of the country in general has become 135 kilometers shorter.

In another ceremony on Friday, Oil Minister Javad Oji laid the foundation for a petrochemical project in Lamerd city.

Some 160 trillion rials (about $321.5 million) is going to be invested to complete the mentioned petrochemical complex which is going to create direct jobs for 350 people and 3,500 people will also benefit from indirect employment created by the complex.

EF/MA