Brasília, May 20, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - In the assessment he made during yesterday's (19) Cabinet meeting, the Special Minister of Food Security, José Graziano, said that another important activity has been the implantation of the Zero Hunger program in municipalities. One of the program's initiatives is the distribution of a food card, which has reached 10 states. The plan is for this benefit to reach 92,051 families in 106 municipalities, beginning in June.

The Ministry has also been studying improvements that will permit the enlargement of the Food Program for Workers (PAT) from 7 to 15 million people, including workers in the informal sector and domestic employees. The Ministry also made R$ 157 million available to pay Income-Grant benefits for the months of January, February, and March in places affected by the drought.

The signing of a Protocol of Intentions with the Organization of the Semi-Arid Region to dig 21 cisterns in locales assisted by the Food Card Program was another one of the government's actions. (DAS)