President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) launched, this Thursday (2), the new Bolsa Familia, which provides for distribution of R$ 13.2 billion and reach of 21.86 million families. The provisional measure was signed at a ceremony at the Planalto Palace, with the presence of ministers and authorities. The program is effective immediately, but needs to be approved by the National Congress within 120 days to be definitively converted into law.
Among the new rules, the program establishes a minimum amount of BRL 600 per family, in addition to two complementary benefits: Early Childhood and Income and Citizenship. The first determines an additional value of R$ 150 for each child up to 6 years old in the family composition, while the second grants an extra value for families that are below the poverty line and have income of up to R$ 178 per person.
The new Bolsa Família also brings two new guarantees: the protection rule and the guaranteed return. The protection rule establishes that, if the family improves in life, their income can increase up to half a minimum wage per capita without immediately leaving the program. The guaranteed return means that families who voluntarily withdraw from the program or lose their income and need to return to the program will have priority in their return. At the end of the report, read the main news of the program.
At the ceremony, Lula was touched by the speech given by a doctor in biology. The young woman’s family was a beneficiary of Bolsa Família and, with this benefit, she was able to access higher education through quotas and educational programs of the federal government. In his speech, the President of the Republic highlighted the importance of Bolsa Família to ensure social justice and stated that hunger is a threat that must be dealt with as a top priority.
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“We are making a commitment that on March 20th payments for this program will begin to be made”, said Lula. “This is not the program of a government, of a president, but of Brazilian society. And that will only work if society takes responsibility for supervising the CadÚnico that we are doing. Because the program will only work if registration allows it to reach women and children in need”.
On stage, alongside Lula and first lady Janja, participated ministers Wellington Dias (Social Development), Rui Costa (Casa Civil) and Camilo Santana (Education) and the president of Caixa, Rita Serrano. “What we are presenting today goes towards social justice. I know that the rumbling of the belly is an alert to the threat of life. Hunger is a threat, so we have to take care of it with total priority”, stated Wellington Dias.
Dias used biblical references to say that the benefit was an act of social justice. “Those who experience hunger are even ashamed to say they are hungry and those who have never experienced hunger cannot even imagine what it’s like,” he said. At the end of his speech, he asked those present at the ceremony to pray an Our Father. “I know there are people of different creeds here, but (let’s) thank God for enlightening us for this journey, which is no small challenge”, said the minister.
How does Novo Bolsa Familia work?
Families with a monthly income of up to R$218 per person are entitled to the program;
The benefit is BRL 600 per family, at least;
Families with children up to 6 years receive an extra R$ 150;
Families with children and young people between 7 and 18 years of age and with pregnant or breastfeeding women receive an additional R$50;
Up-to-date vaccines, school attendance and prenatal care will be required;
Payment starts on March 20th; The expectation is to distribute R$ 13.2 billion and reach 21.8 million families.
Watch the video shown at the ceremony:
Editing: Thalita Pires
