Industrial projects worth more than BD1.5 billion ($3.97 billion) in Bahrain have been given initial approval since 2009, according to a top government official.

More than 300 of these 546 projects - worth BD942 million - have already been granted licences, Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro told our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej.

The ministry granted initial approval to set up 242 industrial projects worth more than BD495 million in 2009 and 253 worth more than BD637 million in 2010. It gave final approval for 127 projects (BD84 million) in 2009 and for 140 (BD748 million) in 2010, he said.

The ministry later issued initial approval to set up 51 industrial projects worth BD355 million and 33 industrial licences worth BD110 million in the first quarter of this year, Dr Fakhro added.-TradeArabia News Service