Brasília, April 28, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Minister of Social Development and Hunger Alleviation, Patrus Ananias, announced today the liberation of US$ 23.82 million (R$ 70 million) for the Program for Purchasing Family Farm Produce. "With this we shall have a stock for emergency situations and to serve the neediest communities, such as, for example, indigenous communities and "quilombolas" - regions that sheltered runaway slaves and are inhabited nowadays by their descendants," he explained.

The Minister also announced the creation of a program of inexpensive restaurants. According to Ananias, a letter was addressed to all the governors and the mayors of cities with over 100 thousand restaurants, proposing partnerships to construct restaurants for the masses.

The Minister underscored the consolidation of the social programs inaugurated in 2003, such as the Family Grant, which transfers income to 3.8 million families. According to Ananias, the government's commitment is to extend this program to 6.5 million families by the end of 2004. The goal, the Minister observes, is to reach all the families who live below the poverty line in the country by the end of President Lula's term of office.

The Family Grant arose to promote the emancipation of the poorest families in Brazil. It represents a fusion of various social program (school grant, food grant, etc.) created under the previous Administration, for the purpose of combatting poverty in all its forms. The Family Grant is intended to provide health, food, education, and social assistance to families with a monthly per capita income of up to US$ 34.11 (R$ 100.00). The monthly benefit conceded to each family ranges from US$ 24.59 (R$ 72.00) to US$ 32.45 (R$ 95.00), depending upon, among other factors, the number of children.

Translator: David Silberstein