Mother Dilma goes to the construction sites

Rodolfo Borges_247, from Brasília – President Dilma Rousseff presented the second phase of the "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" (My House, My Life) program this Thursday morning. The goal is to contract 2 million homes by 2014, totaling R$ 125,7 billion in investments – R$ 72,6 billion in subsidies and R$ 53,1 billion for financing. But Dilma anticipated that the number of houses and apartments contracted could increase. "I want to issue a challenge. It's a fact that we can do it. We managed to do one million, we will do two million. And if in a year we are at an adequate pace, showing our capacity to do more, we will expand the resources and do another 600," said the president.

In addition to doubling the hiring target, the new phase of the program promises a larger construction area for housing, wider windows and doors, tiles on bathroom and kitchen walls, and a solar heating system. “Solar thermal heating will also contribute to reducing electricity bills for these families. Thirty percent of the electricity bill in a low-income family is for the shower. This is something I still remember from when I was Minister of Mines and Energy,” said the president, who mentioned the possibility of adding a financing line for white goods to the program. “This program creates a demand for white goods. When people move, they want a new refrigerator, a television. We will study it,” she promised.

The Minister of Cities, Mário Negromonte, highlighted that priority will be given to serving people with lower incomes. Of the 2 million homes, 1,2 million (60%) should be contracted by people with a monthly income of up to R$ 1,6. These contracts can be signed by women without the need for their husbands' consent. "Approximately 90% of the contracts in the lowest income bracket (in the first phase of Minha Casa, Minha Vida) were signed by women," the minister explained.

The president highlighted Banco do Brasil's participation in all modalities of the program, including those aimed at lower-income families, and the possibility of contracting renovations. "We will build new housing, but we will also recognize the reality and carry out renovations. Caixa Econômica qualified itself for this by creating a rural housing superintendency," she said. Dilma also used the speech to defend the subsidy policy. "In Brazil, it was a crime to give subsidies. But we believe that subsidies given correctly are not only effective but also do not create bubbles or illusions and at the same time make the social wheel of the country move," she said.