Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government approved, on Tuesday, the amendment of voluntary deductions from the salaries of employees and retirees to support Palestine and Lebanon.

According to a statement by the Iraqi PM’s media office, the PM, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, chaired the 48th regular session of the Council of Ministers, focusing on key national issues, reviewing progress, and making decisions to address them.

The Prime Minister highlighted the achievement of the General Census of Population and Housing, calling it a long-overdue national priority that faced delays since 2003. He underscored its importance beyond statistics, framing it as a reflection of Iraq's stability, governance, and public awareness. He also emphasized the ongoing efforts to analyze demographic data and include Iraqis abroad in the census process.

Al-Sudani commended the Ministry of Planning for overcoming challenges and efficiently utilizing resources. He also acknowledged the support of the Statistics Commission, government entities, local authorities, societal contributors, and religious leaders for their guidance and cooperation in completing the census.

“To improve telecommunications services for citizens and establish a national operator for mobile networks, the Council of Ministers approved the selection of Vodafone as the operator for the national mobile license project with (5G) technology,” the statement added.

According to the PM media office, “The Council of Ministers also amended its decision regarding the voluntary deduction of 1% from salaries and pensions to be for six months only, starting December 1, 2024, and exclusively for those wishing to donate, as support for the Palestinian and Lebanese people.”

The Council of Ministers revised its earlier decision (24809 of 2024), approving the supply of 320,000 tons of wheat to Lebanon in place of flour.

“To enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces, the Council of Ministers allocated 5 billion dinars from the emergency reserve fund to the Counter-Terrorism Service for establishing an academy for the service, based on the provisions of the Federal Budget Law (No. 13 of 2023),” the statement proceeded.