Adjustment will not affect Bolsa Família, says minister.

According to the Minister of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger, Tereza Campello, the annual cost of the program, which serves approximately 14 million families, is R$ 27 billion; "That's less than 0,5% of GDP," said the minister this Monday, the 16th; "We are making an effort throughout the government to get through this moment of crisis, which is not only in Brazil, it's international. We are trying, as much as possible, to reduce expenses. But Bolsa Família and the rights of the poor population are guaranteed," she added.

March 16, 2015, 18:45 PMUpdated July 05, 2018, 13:48 pm

According to the Minister of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, Tereza Campello, the annual cost of the program, which serves approximately 14 million families, is R$ 27 billion; "This is less than 0,5% of GDP," said the minister this Monday, the 16th; "We are making an effort throughout the government to get through this moment of crisis, which is not only in Brazil, it is international. We are trying, as much as possible, to reduce expenses. But Bolsa Família and the rights of the poor population are guaranteed," she added (Photo: Aquiles Lins).

Vitor Abdala, from Agência Brasil - The Bolsa Família program will not be affected by the fiscal adjustment proposed by the federal government's economic team for this year, according to the Minister of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, Tereza Campello. She explains that the annual cost of the program, which serves approximately 14 million families, is R$ 27 billion.

“This amounts to less than 0,5% of GDP [Gross Domestic Product, which is the sum of all goods and services produced in the country]. With less than 0,5% of GDP, the income of 14 million families is supplemented. Bolsa Família does not replace wages; it is a supplement that provides, on average, R$ 170 per family,” said the minister.

According to her, however, although the fiscal adjustment does not foresee a cut in Bolsa Família funding, the Ministry of Social Development, responsible for the program, has been seeking to reduce its spending in other ways.

“We are making a full effort across the government to get through this crisis, which is not just in Brazil, it’s international. We are trying, as much as possible, to reduce expenses. It’s always possible to be more efficient in spending. We are reducing publications, trying to spend less on per diems and travel expenses. But the Bolsa Família program and the rights of the poor population are guaranteed,” he said.

The minister participated in the opening of the Regional Meeting of the National Board of Municipal Social Assistance Managers (Congemas) in the Southeast region. The event brings together, today and tomorrow in Niterói, in Greater Rio, technicians and managers from municipalities in the region to propose improvements in the management of programs, actions and services of the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS).