Brasília, January 13, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The challenge for the new Ministry of Cities is to improve the quality of life in Brazil's urban centers. According to Minister Olívio Dutra, the priority is to provide housing for the needy population. The Ministry's planned budget amounts to R$ 1.6 billion this year. Dutra will concentrate the application of these resources in urban development policies, in order to avoid waste.

One of Dutra's chief projects, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, is regularization of the slums. In order to combat social inequality, the project intends to make it easier for the low income population living on irregular lots to obtain property deeds, allowing them access to various benefits, such as bank loans to improve their houses and credit in stores for installment purchases.

According to Dutra, the housing problem cannot be dealt with separately from other urban development problems. It is for this reason that the new Ministry is also responsible for coordinating policies in the areas of basic and environmental sanitation, urban transportation, and motor vehicle transit. (DAS)