Goiás is the 3rd state with the best social development in the country.

Goiás 247 - Goiás is the third state with the best social development in the country between 2004 and 2014, according to a study conducted by the consulting firm Macroplan, using data from IBGE and published on the Exame magazine website. The social development index is based on indicators such as lower poverty and lower inequality. The leader in the ranking is the state of Santa Catarina. The Central-West region stands out, with Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul occupying the 4th and 5th positions, respectively.

One of the coordinators of the Macroplan research, consultant Adriana Fontes, said that the improvement in the region also occurred due to the performance of the labor market. "There is high participation in the market, a high employment rate, and low unemployment," she told Exame magazine.

In 2016, data from the Ministry of Labor shows Goiás as the state that generated the most jobs in Brazil, maintaining the average of recent years. While most states face a serious economic crisis, Goiás is growing above the national average and continues to attract companies and new investments.

This week, Governor Marconi Perillo signed a letter of intent for the installation of units from five companies in the state starting in 2017. The investment is around R$ 500 million and the expectation is that 50 jobs will be created.

With these investments secured, Marconi concludes the second year of his fourth term as Governor of Goiás with 44 letters of intent signed with medium and large-sized companies, both national and foreign, that are establishing themselves in the state. All the private investments secured by Marconi and formalized with the government this year total almost R$ 4 billion injected into the Goiás economy, in addition to generating more than 50 direct and indirect jobs. "It is through the partnership between the public and private sectors that we will overcome the crisis, generating employment for the population," stated the governor.

Goiás has also become a national benchmark due to its social safety net, a hallmark of Marconi Perillo's governments. Programs like Renda Cidadã (Citizen's Income) and Bolsa Universitária (University Scholarship) inspired the creation of Bolsa Família (Family Allowance) and ProUni (University for All Program). The Bolsa Universitária alone has benefited over 160 students in Goiás.

This year, the government of Michel Temer (PMDB) used another social program from Goiás as a model. The Cheque Mais Moradia program served as inspiration for the creation of the Cartão Reforma program, launched in November, which will assist needy families in renovating their homes.