TEHRAN (PIN) – Lawmakers would undoubtedly give positive vote to the allocation of budget for importing gasoline up to March 2008, assured a member of Energy Committee of Majlis (Iranian parliament) here Sunday.

Heshmatollah Jassemi told PIN that Majlis allotted 2.5 billion dollars in the 2007 Budget Law for imports of the commodity, but the fund, due to a one-month delay in enforcement of the rationing plan and allocation of extra gasoline for trip, was running out and the government needed to offer another bill on gasoline imports to the Majlis.
He said the MPs were duty-bound to provide the government with budget required for gasoline imports until the development plan of refineries was implemented and domestic gasoline output increased.
Caretaker of the Oil Ministry Gholamhossein Nozari said one hundred liters of extra gasoline would be given to each private car to facilitate the movements of families in the remaining days of summer holidays and prevent any problems at the beginning of Iranian school year calendar, which started at the last week of September.
Pointing to the good cooperation of Iranian people in the gasoline rationing project, he added some people already used most of their gasoline due to summer travels and had some fuel worries in the beginning days of Iranian school year, which was usually problematic because of heavy traffic.
“Given the fact that educational and cultural issues have high priorities, and the government has a unique view on tourism sector, the decision has been made to add 100 liters to the ration limit,” said the official.
He added that gasoline rationing plan had helped bring down consumption by 19-20 percent.
He told reporters that gasoline consumption had currently reached 60-61 million liters per day from 85-86 million liters daily before the rationing plan came into effect