Brasilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva unveiled a multibillion-dollar anti-poverty initiative on Monday to provide much-needed infrastructure and jobs in Brazils poorest regions.
Targeting some 24 million people, including about 1 million small farmers in nearly 1.000 towns across Latin Americas largest nation, the government plans to spend some 6,4 billion US dollar under the program in 2008 alone.
The program, which must still be approved by Congress, seeks to benefit the 60 regions of Brazil with the lowest rankings on the UN Human Development Index.
Lula said that it was the second step taken by his administration to battle poverty, following the program “Bolsa Familia”, which supplies minimum incomes to more than 11 million families.
The program will gather 135 projects to be run by 19 ministries, which are expected to reach 958 Brazilian municipalities in 2008, or half of its final target. “Territorios da Cidadania” will also sponsor projects in favor of descents of slaves, fishing communities and small farmers.
University of Brasilia political scientist David Fleischer said the new initiative…shows the government recognizes the value of investments in things like schools, clinics and job training, instead of only handouts.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
