Current Year Privatizationsin Cash Only
IPOPublic Relations -The profit-making companies are going to be privatized this year, Economics Minister FarhadDejpasand said. ?Past experiences have shown privatization in the form of a combination of cash and instalments poses challenges and that?s why the privatizations are going to be in cash only,? he emphasized.
Referring to a target delineated by the policies under the article 44 of the constitution which gives the cooperatives sector a 25 percent share of the national economy, Dejpasandremarked the cooperatives sector’s share of the economy now stands at about 6 to 7 percent at the outside, which is a far cry from the 25 percent target. “In order to meet the target, we should optimize the opportunities provided by the cooperative economy,” he went on to say.
Procurement and distribution of goods through the cooperatives present a unique opportunity to break through the limited ways the government uses to supply goods for the people, he noted, adding today with the assistance of the Iranian Chamber of Cooperatives, the Staple Goods Smart Management System (MAHTA) was unveiled, which will allow for the procurement and distribution of staple goods.
Calling running corporations as one of the functions of the cooperatives sector in economy, Dejpasand pointed out we have put privatizations high on the agenda as the key approach of the government, which has been underscored several times by the Supreme Leader.
“Following the policy, we insist on transferring the ownership of government-held shares in 18 corporations listed on the stock exchange and then proceed with unlisted companies,” the minister announced.
He further said management transfer and rent-to-own methods and a combination of both are among models we have focused on for privatizations. “We throw the red carpet for the cooperatives, but expansion of their share in the state economy requires the readiness of the cooperatives sector and the chamber of cooperatives as its pivot,” the minister insisted.
Addressing reporters, Dejpasand referred to the low share of the cooperative in the state economy and remarked there are various approaches in this field, part of which has to do with the government and the governing system.
“To increase the share of the cooperatives sector in the economy, the needed infrastructure should be furnished and this will be definitely on the government’s agenda,” he concluded.