Rouhani's Government Plan for Distributing Support Food Packages and Preparing 'Supplementary Budget'

Simultaneously with the remarks of the head of the Ministry of Cooperatives regarding the distribution of a support food package worth 600,000 tomans, the head of the Management and Planning Organization announced the government's plan to prepare a 'supplementary budget' for the year 97. According to an IRNA reporter, the head of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare announced on Tuesday, November 1st, that the support food package in 97 will be distributed in three phases and worth 600,000 tomans among families with incomes below three million tomans. Anoushiravan Mohseni Bandpay said that in the first phase, a family of one to two people may receive 180,000 tomans, a family of three to four people 210,000 tomans, and families of five or more up to 250,000 tomans in food packages. According to Mr. Mohseni Bandpay, stores have also been designated for receiving and distributing the support food packages in the first 10 days of November, and the ceiling for this support package is 600,000 tomans. Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, head of the Management and Planning Organization, had previously announced on September 16th the preparation of five packages to support five groups against U.S. sanctions and currency market fluctuations, which include providing essential goods and supporting low-income individuals. On Tuesday, Mr. Nobakht also stated that the government will prepare a 'supplementary budget' to reduce the effects and consequences of the country's economic problems. He announced that according to the predictions of the country's General Treasury, about 80 trillion tomans of the government's projected income will not be realized. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the increase in the dollar price, reports have emerged about some people hoarding goods. The increase in the dollar price has affected other economic indicators in Iran, and in August of this year, the point-to-point inflation rate exceeded 24%, with a monthly inflation rate of 5.5%, breaking a twenty-year record. Meanwhile, the Statistical Center of Iran reported on Tuesday that the inflation rate in October increased by 2.1% compared to the previous month, reaching 13.4%. The return of U.S. sanctions began on July 15th, and the U.S. has announced that in the next phase of sanctions, which will begin on November 4th, it aims to bring Iran's oil sales to zero. From the perspective of some analysts, oil sales sanctions and banking sanctions will be the most significant sanctions against Iran, a point that some officials of the Islamic Republic have also acknowledged.