Brasília - At a meeting, last Thursday (30), between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Ministers in the social area, the government defined next year's goals for the food security and income redistribution programs. The Ministry of Social Development wants to increase the quantity of foodstuffs purchased directly from farmers in 15 metropolitan areas and 340 medium and small municipalities, as well as reaching 8.7 million families through the Family Grant program.
During the meeting, which lasted around three hours, each Minister gave a report on what is being done in his area. "Lula considered very positive the summaries presented by the Ministries and expressed optimism over the government's efforts to attain the Goals of the Millenium," said Presidential spokesman, André Singer.
The Goals of the Millenium represent a set of development commitments assumed formally at the Millenium Summit, in 2000. The eight Goals of the Millenium are: elimination of hunger and extreme poverty; quality basic education for all; gender equality and protection of women's rights; reduction of infant mortality; improved health care for pregnant women; actions to combat Aids, malaria, and other diseases; better quality of life; and respect for the environment.
The government's social goals for 2005 include:
1. Food Security
- Distribution of 700 thousand liters of milk daily;
- Purchase of foodstuffs directly from farmers in 15 metropolitan areas (3,600 producers) and
340 small and medium municipalities (34,800 producers);
- Distribution of 1.6 million basic food baskets;
- 55 community restaurants in operation;
- Construction of 50 thousand cisterns.
2. Family Income and Income Redistribution
- Benefits reaching a total of 8.7 million families;
- Continuous Service Benefits for 1.15 million senior citizens and 1.5 million disabled people;
- Benefits for 1 million children with full payment via magnetic card;
- Benefits for 110 thousand youngsters desirous of entering the job market;
- Assistance to 28 thousand child and adolescent victims of sexual abuse;
Agência Brasil
Reporters: Ana Paula Marra and Paula Menna Barreto
Translator: David Silberstein
10/04/2004
