Criticized, Dilma says that the Transposition project is proceeding at full speed.

PE247 - One day after facing criticism from presidential candidates Eduardo Campos (PSB) of Pernambuco and Aécio Neves (PSDB) of Minas Gerais, regarding the constant delays in federal projects – particularly the São Francisco River Transposition – President Dilma Rousseff (PT) justified the schedule in her column "Conversation with the President." According to her, work on the transposition is in full swing, and the first 100 kilometers of the North and East axes will be delivered next year. The entire project should be completed in 2015. The transposition works are about five years behind schedule compared to the initially planned completion date.

According to the text, approximately 6,5 people work directly on the transposition project and are assisted by 1,8 pieces of equipment. In the sections encompassing the municipalities of São de Piranhas (PB), Salgueiro (PE), Cabrobó (PE), and Jati (CE), the work takes place over 14 uninterrupted hours. Dilma also sought to downplay the existence of problems by saying that in these sections “contracts were renegotiated, companies were changed, and the pace of work intensified. In recent months, ten new work orders were issued for the expansion of the project in the two canals, and 2 more workers were hired.”

When operational, the water transfer project will benefit 325 communities located along the 470 kilometers of canals that will cut through the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. In her column, the president also took the opportunity to reinforce the drought relief efforts that the Federal Government has been developing in the Brazilian Northeast. According to her, for every R$ 1 invested in the São Francisco River, another R$ 3 are applied to water infrastructure projects such as dams, pipelines, and canals. "Through the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), investments have more than tripled, going from R$ 7,2 billion in PAC 1 to R$ 28 billion in PAC 2," the text states.