The Solidarity Supply Centers are one of the bets of President Gustavo Petro and Gustavo Bolívar, after their arrival at the Department of Social Prosperity, to promote the economic development of the most remote and poor municipalities of the country, through the creation of spaces in which their inhabitants can offer and buy products, mostly agricultural, at a very good price.
Recently, Prosperidad Social had launched a call for mayors who wanted to be part of this initiative to register and present the requirements required to be beneficiaries of this State support, which will basically seek to build market squares, where the centers will operate.
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Thus, this week it was announced that a comprehensive technical assistance contract had already been signed with the Territorial Development Finance Company (FINDETER), through which 150 Solidarity Supply Points – PAS will be built, for which it committed resources worth $520 billion.
“The PAS project is part of the Zero Hunger Program (PHC), which seeks to provide an articulated inter-institutional response aimed at eradicating hunger and effectively contributing to the progressive guarantee of the human right to adequate, sustainable and culturally appropriate food in the targeted territories,” the entity said.
Gustavo Bolívar, director of the DPS, explained that this hiring Comprehensive technical assistance will allow advice to be provided directly in the places where the works will be carried out, making it possible to optimize the implementation and execution of the project with criteria of short timelines, equity, transparency, quality and efficiency, specialized knowledge, specific experience in the subject, technical, administrative and logistical capacity, among others.
“In the next two months, Findeter will conduct documentary verification as a result of the call for proposals made between July 29 and August 16, 2024, the scheduling of visits to the 150 municipalities that applied in the call for proposals phase, the signing of agreements with the territories for the start of the execution of the works, and the start and end of the selection process for contracts derived from the work and supervision,” the official added.
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In this way, it is expected that the execution of the works will begin in the last week of October, which have an execution period of 8 months and which come with a promise from the DPS Director that they will not become white elephants.
“Periodically, Prosperidad Social will present the progress of the project in order to provide timely information that supports and transparently demonstrates the status of execution of the contract signed with Findeter,” said Gustavo Bolívar.
The 150 territories nominated within the framework of the call can be consulted on the Department of Social Prosperity website and any requirements or observations can be made through the regional links provided for this task.
The design of these works includes distribution points for hot food, through community kitchens and dining rooms, which will be managed by the Ministry of Equality. It also includes a free distribution point for Bienestarina, for the population that the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) characterizes as vulnerable.
They will also have up to forty market sales galleries, ten commercial premises, a collection center, a community kitchen and dining room, and a loading and unloading area for products. All of this with a view to ensuring that the citizens of the towns where these centers will be developed have alternatives. to generate a decent livelihood and better living conditions for their families.