Basra's provincial council has thus far referred 58 projects to local companies and contractors at a total cost of nearly $25.25 million, a council member said on Thursday.
"A total of 58 projects have been referred thus far to local firms and contractors to be carried out in different parts of Basra under a strategic plan developed for the province…," Hamed al-Dhalimi told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).
In 2008, the Iraqi government allocated 366 billion Iraqi dinars for provincial development projects in Basra province, of which over 34 billion (1 U.S. dollar = 1155.5 Iraqi dinars) was earmarked for the municipalities department.
The Shiite province of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.(Voices of Iraq)