TEHRAN, Iran, Sept. 28
Trend:
Iran's parliament approved a bill which would allow to provide free bitumen for road improvements in poor neighborhoods, Trend reports via Fars News Agency.
Free distribution of asphalt for contractors was included in the annual budget law for several years, but was scrapped by Iran's Guardian Council and the Expediency Council.
The spokesman of the Civil Commission of Iran`s Parliament, Abdul Jalal Eiri called for immediate allocation of free bitumen.
According to the current Iranian year`s budget law (started on March 21), the Oil Ministry was obliged to provide $3.5 billion worth of vacuum Bottom (VB) bitumen and crude oil to refineries and petrochemicals on a monthly basis, Eiri said.
He went on to claim that the Oil Ministry has refused to allocate the assigned bitumen and crude oil, due to decrease in oil exports.
He expressed hope that the process of allocating free bitumen will be carried out quickly.