The government delegate in Aragon, Fernando Beltrán, presented this Wednesday the balance of management of the Executive in the autonomous community highlighting the level of confidence of the Aragonese economy, the commitment to the execution of European funds and the consolidated measures to guarantee the welfare of citizens. “The goal of exiting the pandemic by strengthening the country and social policies is being met,” he said.
The government delegate has shown that the Aragonese economy maintains its growth, largely due to the measures taken by the Executive led by Pedro Sánchez. “At the moment, economic data exceed the forecasts that had been set, quality employment is being created, with stable jobs, and the social umbrella is being strengthened,” he said.
In addition, Beltrán has welcomed the good progress of the investments planned for Aragón in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. From 2021 until December 31, 2023, Aragon has received 2,317 million euros from the NEXT GENERATION EU Funds. Of these, 266 million euros come from the OBJECTIVE-EU mechanisms and 2,051 million euros from the Recovery Plan, of which 933 million euros have been received through the transfers established in the different sectoral conferences, agreements and direct concessions agreed with the Government of Aragon. Through direct execution actions of the General Administration of the State, in Aragón about 13,100 projects are being executed with 1,118 million euros of aid.
“The Government of Spain is functioning and works with the objective of guaranteeing the social welfare of all citizens,” said the government delegate, indicating that social measures have a direct reflection on the quality of life of Aragonese people. In this regard, it has detailed the additional 330 euros per month received by pensioners, which after the update of purchasing power thanks to the coalition executive have been placed at an average of 1,490 euros per month. It has also highlighted the 55,719 beneficiaries of the Minimum Vital Income (IMV), the 31.7 million euros destined for scholarships or the 41,407 beneficiaries of the electric social bond.
Beltrán has recalled the measures that were put in place to guarantee the purchasing power of the Aragonese, remembering that for this first quarter of the year more than 13,000 free subscriptions have already been issued from Cerca and Media Distancia de Renfe.
This social model is possible thanks to the commitment of the Government of Spain to large investments and support for sectors such as science and technology. In the field of the automotive sector it is reflected in the partition in the different resolved calls of the Perte VEC. In the first call of the Perte for the transformation of the industrial value chain of the strategic program of the electric and connected vehicle, 22 entities of the region have received more than 50 million euros for the development of 57 primary projects. Among the beneficiaries, Opel stands out with 35 million allocated. In addition, the T.E.S.I.S Project stands out. led by Opel itself, which nationally receives 52.2 million. The second call, dedicated to the production of batteries for electric vehicles, highlights the nearly 59 million that Stellantis receives for a new battery gigantic and a new battery assembly line.
Renewable hydrogen
In Aragon, six large projects of the Perte ERHA for the strengthening of the renewable hydrogen value chain are already funded with 52.2 million euros of funding. In addition, through the call for circular reempowerment, six projects worth 11.5 million have been funded throughout Aragon. The four million for two projects of the Muela wind farm and seven million for the re-empowerment of the Santa Quiteria wind farm stand out.
Four Aragonese companies have received 6.3 million for the reduction of the consumption of raw materials and the improvement of waste management.
Improving and optimizing water management for farms is a priority of the Recovery Plan. Thus, the Ministry of Agriculture is investing 174.7 million euros in improving the efficiency and sustainability of more than 34,400 hectares of irrigation in Aragon. “There is a determined commitment to efficiency and sustainability,” said Beltrán. Likewise, through the first call for the digitalization of the urban water cycle, eight municipalities in the province of Zaragoza have benefited with more than 7.4 million euros.
Within the Perte agro-food projects there are 14 companies in Aragón that participate in 8 projects, receiving 9.7 million funding. The company Healthy Food Solutions stands out, from Fraga with 3.6 million.
Broadband
In Aragón through an investment of 33 million euros of the Single Broadband program managed by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Puncture, the fiber is mainly being taken to the rural environment to more than 112,000 households and companies in more than 140 municipalities of Aragón, which is allowing to end the urban-rural connectivity gap and is creating the favorable conditions for economic development and the attraction of new activities. “Support for rural development is a transversal slogan that allows the population to be established in the territory, and that means measures such as the development of telecommunications or the promotion of new irrigation,” he recalled.
To guarantee the equality of all territories, the Government of Spain is responding to actions long claimed by the Aragonese, with a total investment in railway infrastructures of more than 170 million euros. It highlights the commitment to the development of the Huesca - Canfrac line with an investment of 95.4 million euros, and the 60.8 million euros for the electrification of the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Zaragoza - Teruel-Sagunto corridor as it passes through Aragón.
In addition, 1 million euros are being invested in the development of the new Litera TIM Terminal located in Monzón, and 3.1 million euros in the construction of the intermodal railway terminal in Zaragoza. Finally, three million euros have been invested in improving the quality and reliability of the service of Cerca de Zaragoza.
The Recovery Plan also strengthens the presence of the Civil Guard in rural environments, improving its facilities, with an investment of more than 46 million euros for energy rehabilitation and external isolation of barracks throughout Aragon. The Jaca barracks stand out, which will receive 7.2 million euros, where 65 agents and their families reside, the 4 million for the Civil Guard barracks in Daroca or the 3 million for the San Mateo de Gállego barracks. In addition, there will be major performances in Alcañiz (2.3 million), Binefar (1 million), Calatayud (2.7 million), Caspe (1.2 million), Mora de Rubielos (1.2 million), Sallent de Gállego (1.6 million). There will also be performances in Sarrión, Aliaga, Andorra, Calamocha, Camporrells, Canfranc and Valle de Facto.
Finally, the City of Zaragoza receives 3.4 million euros from the program for the promotion of actions aimed at the renaturalization and resilience of Spanish cities for the improvement of biodiversity in the environment of the Huerva River.
Just transition
To compensate for the closure of the thermal power plant in Andorra, thanks to the work of the Institute for the Just Transition, 14 environmental, social and digital infrastructure projects are being funded in municipalities in areas affected by the energy transition, endowed with 9.1 million euros. Thirteen of the projects are destined to the province of Teruel and one to that of Zaragoza. Andorra receives 4.7 million euros for three projects: combining all municipal services in a single building, creating an associative coworking space and creating a large intergenerational park. Linked to tourism, the Mining Roads project will recover routes linked to coal mining for hiking and cycling, an astronomical observation route will be created in Los Olmos, the rural hostel in Berge will be rehabilitated, and the consolidation of the Islamic fortification and the musealization of the archbishop's castle in Albalate del Arzobispo is financed. In addition, in Escatrón, the former residence of the engineers of the thermal power plant will be rehabilitated to devote it to training and information on combating climate change.
The government delegate has highlighted the investment in the scientific field in the community. In this regard, Aragon has received 10.9 million euros for the acquisition of scientific equipment. Of which 7.6 go to the University of Zaragoza, which, in addition, has received 5.8 million euros from the program to promote the Singular Scientific and Technological Infrastructures: 2.2 million will allow the implementation of a new Supercomputing system (Caesaragusta IV) and 3.6 million will make possible the installation of an Electronic Transmission Microscope (TEM).
In addition, Canfranc’s underground laboratory has received 3.7 million for fiber connection. And three Aragonese companies have received 2.4 million for two MISIONES projects to boost the agri-food sector and make it more sustainable.