Rio, February 5, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The government of the state of Rio de Janeiro announced a bundle of projects for the city of Rio in 2004-2005. They are part of a group of activities involving the areas of housing, education, transportation, sanitation, urbanization, sports, and leisure. The total investment comes to R$ 422.3 million.

Among the initiatives are projects to build four thousand houses for people who live in situations of risk, drain and clean up rivers and canals in the Guanabara Bay and West Zone basins, and reform the installations of the Gilberto Cardoso Gymnasium ("Little Maracanã") to bring them up to standard for the 2007 Pan-American Games.

Some of the projects are already underway, while others are being bid on and should begin in mid-March. It is estimated that around 20 thousand direct jobs will be created during the execution of the projects. (DAS)