Brasília, November 11, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Twelve million Brazilians, country and city residents, live in the dark. To correct this deficiency, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched the "Light for All" program today.
Statistics demonstrate that in 80% of the places where electricity is absent, the Human Development index is low, and 90% of the population earns less than three minimum wages.
The North is the most precarious region in terms of electrification: 62.5% of the rural population has no access to electric services. This is equivalent to 2.6 million people. Next comes the Northeast, in which 39.3% of rural residents, that is, 5.8 million people, live in the dark. In the Center-West, they represent 27.6 % of the population, around 367 thousand people. In the Southeast, 11.9%, 807 thousand, lack energy, and in the South, 8.2%, or around 484 thousand people.
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Dilma Roussef, affirms that all Brazilians will have access to electric energy by 2008. "The objective is to clean the slate, leave 100% of the population completely covered by electric energy. The target is 400 thousand families by 2004, 500 thousand families in 2005, 500 thousand families in 2006, 300 thousand in 2007, and 300 thousand families in 2008," she affirms.
The program will cost R$ 7 billion. The federal government will pay R$ 5.3 billion. The rest will come from energy distribution companies and state governments. The federal resources will come from sectorial energy funds - the Energy Development Account and the General Reversion Reserve (RGR).
By making access to electricity easier, the government intends to generate around 300 thousand direct and indirect jobs. Needy families served by the "Light for All" program will have the right to a discount in their bills. But, for this, their monthly consumption should be less than 80 kWh and the connection, monophasic.
The offer of electric energy will be accompanied by the federal government's social programs and economic development policies. This will allow these regions to receive the benefits of basic health, education, and water supply services, among others. (DAS)
