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ECONOMY | 12-09-2018 17:44

Governor Vidal announces 15% boost to welfare spending in BA province

Welfare spending to get 500-million-peso boost, Buenos Aires province governor announces, in wake of rising inflation.

Buenos Aires Province Governor María Eugenia Vidal today announced that welfare spending in her region would rise by 523 million pesos, declaring she would not leave the poorest behind.

Speaking alongside the mayor of Vicente López, Jorge Macri, at an event at the El Ceibo Children's Neighbourhood Centre, Vidal said she would not "leave behind those that need the most" as she announced a 15 percent boost to spending on welfare programmes, including pensions, family allowances, and food programmes.

The governor said the spending increase, which will go kick in at the beginning of next month, would help those "who have less" to "deal with the increase in inflation," a reference to soaring price increases that are expected to rise above 40 percent annually. She said similar measures would be taken before December, if necessary.

"We are not going to leave behind those who need us the most. From the first day [of governing] we have made taking care of them our priority," she added.

"These problems do not have magical solutions but they do demand commitment," she added, saying she was "convinced" Argentina would "overcome ... this difficult moment."

Provincial Economy Minister Hernán Lacunza and Social Development Minister Santiago López Medrano also attended the announcement.

Budgetary increases of 15 percent will be seen for the Más Vida Programme and Buenos Aires School Food Service (SAE) , as well as additional boosts for minimum pension and family allowances (for wages less than 21,921 pesos a month).

The move comes less than a week after President Mauricio Macri's administration announced its own boost to welfare spending, increasing funding for the Universal Child Allowance (AUH) and food programmes, as well as expanding the Precios Ciudados price-control scheme.

"We have to be present to ensure that everyone receives all the food and nutrition their families need," Vidal concluded. "We continue to go to the neighbourhoods every day: we walk, 
listen and we are there with those who are still fighting against poverty, so that no-one has to tell us what's happening, but that know ourselves."

- TIMES/NA

 

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