TEHRAN- The number of permits for establishing industrial units rose 19 percent in the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2017-January 20, 2018) from the same period of time in the past year, according to Deputy Industry Minister Mohsen Salehinia.

In a press conference on Monday, the official said 16,060 industrial units received establishment permits during the mentioned time span of this year, while the figure was 13,500 in the ten-month period of the previous year.

This number of permits has led to creation of 362,000 jobs, with 21.5 percent growth from 298,000 jobs in the same time of the past year, and also a 16-percent rise in investment making year on year, Salehinia added.

The official also put the number of working permits issued for the industrial units at 46,500 during the ten-month period of this year, with 5.5-percent increase from 44,000 permits of the past year’s same time.

He announced 17-percent growth in job creation and investment as the result of these permits in the first ten months of current calendar year compared to that of the preceding year.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the deputy minister highlighted that production of most industrial products increased or had no change from the ten-month time of the past year, while there has been very low fall in terms of some products.

Industrial sector to witness 5.6% growth in value added 

Salehinia further said that the industrial sector is expected to see a 5.6-percent growth in value added by the end of current calendar year (March 20, 2018).

The official said the figure was 4.5 percent in the first half of the current calendar year (March 21-Septemebr 22, 2017).

Flourishing production in SMEs

Elsewhere in his remarks, the deputy industry minister referred to the plan for elevating production in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and said in this due some facilities have been offered to such units, for example some bank loans as well as some exemptions.

Banks have offered 143 trillion rials (about $3.177 billion) of loans to 20,000 units in the framework of the production flourishing plan, he announced.

He also said that 4.8 trillion rials (about $106.6 million) of renovation facilities have been paid to 140 units.

Car output in 10 months more than that of past year

Salehinia further put the car manufacturing in the first ten months of this year at 1.41 million and highlighted that the figure is more than the total car output of the past year which was 1.365 million.

He also announced that the figure is expected to reach 1.55 million by the end of current calendar year.

The official said manufacturing of trucks has risen 18.5 percent to 14,000 in the ten-month of this year from 11,900 in the ten-month of past year.