Mylena Fiori
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The Minister of Planning, Paulo Bernardo, delivered the government's proposal for next year's budget to the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), today (31). "It is a balanced budget, in which we provide for a primary surplus of 4.25%," Bernardo affirmed, just before a collective interview to fill in details of the bill.

In a preview of some of the items included in the 2006 budget, he stated that priority was given to the social area. He highlighted the Family Grant program, which will be allocated around US$ 4 billion (R$ 9.5 billion). US$ 3.799 billion (R$ 9 billion) will be destined for family farming. The health area will be assigned US$ 1.688 billion (R$ 4 billion) more than in 2005, for a total of US$ 15.611 billion (R$ 37 billion). US$ 5.907 billion (R$ 14 billion) will be made available for infrastructure investments.

Translation: David Silberstein