Bojnourd, N Khorasan Prov., Nov 26, IRNA Presidential Advisor and Secretary of the High Council of Free Zones Akbar Torkan says currently 40 special economic zones are inactive in the country despite enjoying the parliaments authorization.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday on the sidelines of a visit to North Khorasan Province, Torkan mentioned lack of proper infrastructure for investment as a result of their inactivity.
He also pointed to lack of organization and caretaker for the mentioned zones as another reason for inactivity of these zones.
Torkan said that free or special economic zones should take shape in accordance with expert studies and on the basis of the capacities of the zone in order to have a share in the countrys economy.
He pointed to South Pars, Bandar Imam, Bandar Abbas, Sirjan, Salafchegan and Bam as important special economic zones that have satisfactory performance from economic point of view.
The official further remarked that due to legal restrictions on the way of organizing active special economic zones provincial managers should put removal of problems of the zones on their agenda and take steps for their operation.
He said the High Council of Free Zones had approved turning Jask and Bushehr into free zones and that a bill on formation of Bushehr and Jask free zones will be forwarded to the Majlis.
Furthermore, he added, formation of free trade zones of Mehran (Ilam) and north of Zabol (Sistan and Baluchestan) is under consideration which should be approved in the High Council of Free Zones so that the bill for their formation can be forwarded to the Majlis.
In another development, Torkan said bureaus of engineering system will be stationed in neighboring countries in line with export of technical and engineering services.
Speaking at a session with managers of North Khorasan Province here, Torkan said currently those bureaus have been opened in two provinces of Iraq and soon a third one will be inaugurated in Erbil, Iraqs Kurdistan.
Meanwhile, he added, Iran Engineering System Organization is following opening of its representative offices in Turkmenistan as one of the applicant countries for Irans technical and engineering services.
By IRNA
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