Iran plans more public spending
By Guy Dinmore in Tehran
Financial Times
November 29 2000
President Mohammad Khatami of Iran, presenting his last budget before
elections next year, on Wednesday defended his administration's economic
record against harsh attacks by his conservative opponents.
Iran's sluggish economy, weighed down by enormous subsidies on food
and fuel and loss-making state enterprises, is widely regarded as Mr Khatami's
weakest point by an electorate struggling to cope with high inflation and
unemployment.
Analysts said a big increase in spending, well above the projected rate
of inflation, appeared to reflect the domination of socialist-style thinking
within the president's broad, pro-reform administration.
The president, speaking to parliament, projected an increase in spending
of nearly 25 per cent, mostly on the back of higher oil revenues. The total
state budget for the next Iranian year (from March 23 2001), he said, would
amount to 449,400bn rials, about $56bn at the open market exchange rate.
Spending on state-owned companies and banks plus non-profit making affiliates
is projected to total 298,700bn rials, while the government's budget for
spending by ministries is estimated at 159.3bn rials. Both amounts are
up by almost 25 per cent on this year.
Expenditure for "national security" would rise by 40 per cent,
defence by 22 per cent and social security by 24.7 per cent. Subsidies
on basic foodstuffs are to rise by more than 20 per cent.
The smaller government budget would be balanced by revenues, Mr Khatami
said. But it was not clear how much would be spent on subsidies to state-owned
enterprises, although the president said: "Attention has been paid
to the principle of economising and to reliance on domestic sources instead
of using general revenues."
The government projected the economy would grow by about 5 per cent
this year and next. This compares with an average growth rate of 2.9 per
cent over the past three years, an official figure that some independent
economists argue is exaggerated. Iran's external debt had fallen to $10bn,
its lowest in 10 years, the president said, and the government was continuing
to repay its debts to the domestic banking sector.
The rial, he said, had stabilised at around its current open market
rate of 7,900 to the dollar. The government planned to make the currency
convertible over the next four years, he added. Sales of petro-dollars
on the open market by the Central Bank of Iran have driven the rial to
its highest level against the dollar for two years.
Oil revenues this year are forecast to reach $21.5bn, up from $13bn
last year. Oil production next year is projected at 3.82m barrels per day,
up by about 100,000 b/d. Next year's budget is based on a price for Iranian
crude of $20 a barrel, against the current price of about $29.
The conservative Tehran Times attacked Mr Khatami on Wednesday, saying
the economy had worsened since he came to office in 1997 and that the hopes
of the people were "almost shattered".
Parliament, dominated by Mr Khatami's loose pro-reform coalition, is
due to debate the budget plan in January.
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