The Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger (MDS) announced this Thursday (26) that it had transferred R$ 1.43 million in federal co-financing to municipalities hit by the heavy rains of recent days in the Southeast Region.
Juiz de Fora and Ubá, in Minas Gerais, Lajes do Muriaé and Nova Iguaçu, in Rio de Janeiro, and Peruíbe, in São Paulo, received resources for shelter actions.
The budget can be used to structure shelters and reception spaces and purchase food, water, mattresses, clothes, hygiene products and to hire kitchen, maintenance and security support services.
According to the ministry, Juiz de Fora (MG) leads the volume of direct transfers with R$550,000 to accommodate 1,500 people in shelters. Ubá (MG) was released R$220,000 for the social protection of 500 people. Nova Iguaçu (RJ) received R$243,000 to support 618 sheltered people, while Lajes do Muriaé (RJ) received R$20,000 for 63 homeless people.
On the coast of São Paulo, Peruíbe (SP) was authorized to use R$200,000 from the balance of resources from the municipal High Complexity Variable Floor (PVAC) to assist 357 people affected.
The MDS explained that the calculation of the transfer takes into account the value of R$20,000 to the municipalities for each group of 50 homeless people sheltered by the Public Authorities.
To request co-financing, the municipal social assistance manager must prepare a letter and send it to the email [email protected].
Also according to the ministry, professionals from the Protection Force of the Unified Social Assistance System (ForSUAS) are in the field in the affected municipalities, providing guidance and evaluating conditions with local managers.
“ForSUAS has already registered 146 professionals to work in the affected cities and continues to receive requests to reinforce the work. The teams bring together qualified people to outline social assistance strategies and actions in cooperation with states and municipalities, working in the preparation, response and recovery phases in the face of extreme events”, he said in a note.
Food, BPC and Bolsa Família
MDS reported having sent more than 8,800 food baskets to the municipalities of Juiz de Fora, Peruíbe and Nova Iguaçu. The department also allocated 22 tons of food to 12 solidarity kitchens in the city of Minas Gerais, the most affected by the tragedy, acquired through the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and shipped from Ceasa-MG.
The National Assistance Benefits Secretariat (SNBA) of the ministry requested the National Social Security Institute (INSS) to advance a portion of the Continuous Payment Benefit (BPC) for beneficiaries in Juiz de Fora, Ubá and Matias Barbosa who wish to have payment in advance.
It was also requested to suspend the effects of the benefit review processes in the three municipalities and the ministry said it will adopt measures to waive the requirement for biometric registration of beneficiaries while the state of public calamity lasts.
With the public calamity decree, municipalities will have to break the Bolsa Família schedule in the next two months.
In Juiz de Fora alone, 23,800 families benefited from the program in February, with transfers of R$16.5 million. In Ubá, according to the MDS, around 4,900 families received a contribution of R$3.2 million, while in Matias Barbosa 867 families receive the benefit, which totals more than R$746,000.
