After a meeting this Friday morning (8), at Palácio do Planalto, to discuss the situation in Rio Grande do Sul, with representatives from ten ministries, the acting president, Geraldo Alckmin, announced 12 more measures in support of the affected regions by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. Among them, the remittance of R$ 800 per person homeless in the affected municipalities.
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The transfer of amounts will take place through the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance and will be defined based on the information provided by city halls. Accreditation is scheduled to occur immediately. This Sunday (10), Alckmin will travel to the state to visit the conflagrated regions.
Ten ministries working together
The 12 measures announced by Brasília also involve the implementation of a permanent situation room with ten ministries working in a task force, the sending of rescue boats through the Navy and the Army, eight aircraft already in action since Monday, 450 professionals of the Armed Forces working on rescues, in addition to sending tractors by the Army Engineering Battalion.
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They also include 20,000 food baskets sent by the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, medication kits for 15,000 people sent by the Ministry of Health, involvement of the Conceição Hospital Group with a special structure to help the victims and restoration of communication antennas in the affected cities , and in the city of Roca Sales it has already been reestablished.
Resources for farmers
Previously, the federal government had already taken emergency measures to help the affected populations of the Taquari and Caí river valleys, including the unification of the Bolsa Família payment calendar, which is normally staggered, for the first day of transfers that, this month , will take place on Monday (18).
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It also provided for the advance of the installment of the Continuous Payment Benefit (BPC), which corresponds to a minimum wage, and if the beneficiary requests it, it authorized the advance of another installment; transfer of extraordinary resources to the social assistance network, which provides support and protection services to the population by offering temporary accommodation, attention and material provisions; and release of resources through Rural Development, worth R$4,600, to small farmers who had lost production.
FGTS withdrawal
Furthermore, Caixa Econômica Federal informed that it will release withdrawals from the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS) due to calamity for workers residing in municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul affected by the floods.
The FGTS Calamity Withdrawal is a modality in which the worker has the right to withdraw the balance of their account from the fund due to personal, urgent and serious needs resulting from a natural disaster that has hit their area of residence.
Press conference
After a meeting with ministers and Civil Defense, this Friday morning (8), the acting president, Geraldo Alckmin, the Chief Minister of the Social Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, Paulo Pimenta, and the Minister of Development and Assistance Social, Family and Fight Against Hunger, Wellington Dias, spoke to the press about government actions to support cities hit by the rains in Rio Grande do Sul.
The minister of the Presidency’s Communication Secretariat, Paulo Pimenta, announced that the acting president will lead a delegation of ministers on a visit to the municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, next Sunday morning (10). Members of the federal government will disembark in Lajeado and must go to Roca Sales and Arroio do Meio.
“We will, once again, meet with the state government, meet with the mayors, visit affected regions to further organize this necessary support that the federal government is making available to the state government and city halls, especially for the most affected communities,” said Pimenta.
President Lula participates in the G20 Summit
Geraldo Alckmin occupies the position of president during Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s trip to New Delhi, India, to participate in the G20 Summit, a group that brings together the 19 nations with the largest economies in the world and the European Union.
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Asked by journalists why Lula did not visit the victims of the cyclone in Rio Grande do Sul, Alckmin stated that the government is committed to resolving the issue. “His ministers were there (on Wednesday). The president (Lula) had September 7th yesterday, and there was no way to leave. The day before, (President Lula) had a health illness, but the entire government is committed to serving the region.”
On the social network X (formerly Twitter), Lula stated that he instructed the government to be “on standby”. “Promptly, @geraldoalckmin, and the ministers of our government, formed a permanent committee to support Rio Grande do Sul. We are acting on all fronts. Machinery, tractors, distribution of 20 thousand food baskets and health kits for around 15 thousand people are being made available”, he stated.
* With information from Agência Brasil
Source: BdF Rio Grande do Sul
Editing: Katia Marko
