Dhi Qar: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has confirmed a significant increase in government commitments, specifically in infrastructure projects, emphasizing that these efforts are designed to generate returns benefiting the citizens. During a meeting with the heads of service departments and the service and engineering effort team in Dhi Qar, Al-Sudani highlighted the importance of these projects.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Al-Sudani pointed out that the Nasiriyah Medical City project stands out as the first of its kind in Iraq in terms of capacity and the diversity of hospitals and specialized centers it will house. He stressed the necessity of providing basic services to support this project and mentioned the formation of a team from the service departments in the governorate to address conflicts related to the strategic projects launched that day.

Al-Sudani acknowledged that the government has shown a budget deficit while striving to achieve its goals, yet he assured that there is efficiency in spending and performance. He explained that the previous deficit was planned, and the current administration has organized the spending strategy based on the principle of prioritizing the ‘most important’ needs first. This approach has yielded positive results across various sectors.

He further elaborated on the financial aspects, mentioning that 34 laws and Cabinet decisions have previously been approved, which have resulted in disparities in salary allocations. Al-Sudani asserted that amending these laws is necessary to unify the salary scale. In the 2024 budget, out of the 213 trillion dinars planned, 156 trillion dinars have been allocated, with 90 trillion dinars earmarked for salaries, 40 trillion for operational expenses, and 13 trillion for projects led by ministries and governorates. He also noted the successful attraction of significant foreign investment due to financial and banking reforms and an improved investment environment.

The meeting also covered the review of plans and progress concerning infrastructure and service projects in the governorate, along with identifying the main obstacles and proposing solutions to overcome them.