Damascus, SANA – The Higher Council for Economic and Social Planning stressed in its session headed by Prime Minister Imad Khamis on Saturday on the continuation of the government’s plan for social support and focusing investment spending on agricultural and industrial production sectors.

Discussions during the session discussed the proposal by the Ministry of Finance, the Planning and International Cooperation Agency, and the Central Bank of Syria on the criteria for investment financing and selection of projects according to priorities.

The Council also concentrated on giving priority for the importation of items related to basic needs, raw materials, and projects which produce items needed in the reconstruction stage, particularly cement, iron, glass, and other building materials.

Regarding increasing the state’s positive intervention in the markets, the Council concentrated on the projects of horizontal expansion of positive intervention establishments, the rehabilitation of infrastructure, and to set the Electricity Ministry’s allocations to continue the production of power and transport it, in addition to directing the investments of transport Ministry to improve the flow of transport and increase the productive capacity of the Syrian ports.

As for the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, investments were directed towards increasing oil and gas production in the central and southern areas and improving gas and fuel filling facilities, as well as directing the allocations of Local Administration and Environment Ministry to improving the level of public services such as water, sanitations, and internal transport, and setting the necessary credits for the rehabilitation of infrastructure of industrial zones.

Premier Khamis affirmed the importance of the meeting to follow up on the government’s procedures and plans that have been prepared for the current year and to review the mechanisms of expenditure according to daily changes, noting that the plan was put under war circumstances.

Shaza / Hazem Sabbagh