Relief Committee to create half a million jobs

TEHRAN, April 12 (MNA) – The Imam Khomeini Relief Committee plans to create 500,000 jobs this year, which started on March 20, the committee chief announced on Wednesday. Hossein Anvari said 300,000 jobs would be created in villages and 200,000 in cities, based on this year’s plan. Anvari added that last year the organization used a 1.5 billion rials (over $1.2 billion) interest free loan to create 300,000 jobs, and this year it is estimated to receive $1.6 billion in further credit. He also said the Management and Planning Organization had allocated 800 billion rials (about $65 million) to the committee to pay bonuses to the needy families, but unfortunately due to outstanding problems the money has not yet been received.