The Effect of Economic and Social Infrastructure on Economic Growth Gap in Iran's Provinces

The main objective of this study is investigating the effect of economic and social infrastructure on economic growth gap within the framework of panel data method among Iran's provinces during the period (2006-2012). In this context, conditional and non-conditional convergency hypothesis related to province's economic growth has tested. The results show endorsement of both types of convergency of economic growth in the provinces of Iran. Economic infrastructure including communications and energy has a significant positive influence on economic growth. By entering the economic infrastructure variables in the equation of convergency the economic growth gap in the regions is reduced. Combined index of social infrastructure has the significant negative impact on economic growth in provinces. So that there are significant positive effect of health expenditure and the significant negative impact of education expenditure on economic growth in provinces.Therefore in order to reduce the gap in economic growth in the country's provinces, paying more attention to economic infrastructure and health sector and to review the allocation of resources in the educational sector is recommended.