The policies of the Government of Spain have had a direct impact of 27 billion euros in the Valencian Community during 2022. According to the delegate of the Government, this figure includes both direct transfers to the Generalitat Valenciana and active policies that have a direct impact on the Valencian territory. Pilar Bernabé has presented today the balance sheet Complying 2022 that includes the actions of the Executive during the past year and that shows that “almost all of the commitments that the Government has assumed since the investiture, 98%, are already activated: either fulfilled or in execution”.
The delegate has highlighted “the commitment of the Government to the C.Valenciana” through “a significant injection of funding in the Valencian Community of more than 18.8 billion euros, with the objective of strengthening the welfare state”. Of the total, 10,178 million euros has been in terms of deliveries to account, 8,293 million euros from the Financing Fund to autonomous communities and local entities and 324 million euros in compensation for the economic damage caused, in 2017, by the implementation of the System of Immediate Supply of Information in VAT (SII-VAT).
The delegate has indicated that “although there is a long way to go in the financing system, we cannot ignore the fact that it was in the time of the Government of Pedro Sánchez that this community received more economic transfers”.
In this line, Bernabé recalled that the Government of Spain has allocated in 2022 more than 4,000 million euros from the Next Generation funds to the Valencian Community. Of the total, 2,752 million come from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (812 million are executed directly by the State) and more than 1,200 from the OBJECTIVE-EU funds.
Water policies, ecological transition and environmental protection
“Climate change is an urgent global challenge that we must face from the local level, hence the contributions and commitments of this Government” said the delegate. Bernabé stressed that “if there is a Government that has ensured, even in times of drought, that the water reaches the province of Alicante and the Segura basin, it has been Pedro Sánchez who has transferred 1200hm3 of water compared to 800hm3 that was transferred by Mariano Rajoy, who also closed the tap of the transfer compared to what the current Executive does”. The Government of Spain “will undertake infrastructures that are already planned, which have €600M of funding from the Next Generation, and which, therefore, will be a reality in 2026 and will guarantee water forever”.
The delegate has also announced that the Valencian Community has received more than 19 million euros for the sustainable management of municipal waste; 43.5 million euros to promote thermal and electrical generation from renewable sources, 66 million euros for self-consumption aid with renewable energy sources or 42 million euros for the regeneration of the beaches of the Saler and Garrofera (València), Les Deveses de Dénia (Alicante) and Les Marines, in Nules (Castelló).
It is also important to highlight the 10 million euros with which the Government has contributed to the Vega RenHaz Plan, aimed at improving adaptation and resilience to floods in the Vega Baja.
Territorial cohesion and infrastructure development
For Bernabé “the investment in transport and infrastructure development throughout 2022 is proof of the commitment of the Government of Spain to the advancement of the Valencian Community, especially through the commitment decided by the Mediterranean Corridor” for which investments of 4,400 million euros have been mobilized and in the last 4 years 253 km have been opened. The delegate has also highlighted the more than 550 million euros destined for the agreement of the railway access channel to the city of Valencia.
In terms of roads, more than 27 million euros have been invested, among others, to put into service 6.1 kilometers of Bus-VAO lane and 5 km of third new lanes on the V-21 motorway, at the northern entrance to the city of València; or 38 million euros destined to put into service the Variant of Benissa on the N-332 road, in the province of Alicante.
Boosting the business sector
The Government of Spain has also given an important boost to the business sector, especially to encourage digital and sustainable transformation,” said Bernabé. In this regard, it has highlighted the almost 60 million euros for Tourist Sustainability Plans in Destination, in the extraordinary call, the more than 15 million euros destined to support the commercial sector and the 7,335 SMEs have been beneficiaries in the Valencian Community of the aid of the Digital Kit Program.
At the same time, “a considerable contribution has been made to the digitalization of the regional and local administration: 25 million euros for the Autonomous Community and 8.4 million euros for Local Entities”.
Bernabé has indicated that government aid has supported a landmark decision for the C.Valenciana: the implementation of the Volskwagen gigafactory in Sagunto, “thanks to which we will lead the future of sustainable mobility in southern Europe.”
Social cohesion and employment policies
The government delegate has pointed out that “this is the government of the social majority, which cares about the working middle classes and implements policies so that no one is left behind”. In this line, 182,281 people have received the Minimum Vital Income, or more than 1,000,000 pensioners have benefited from the revaluation of pensions under the CPI in 2022.
In addition, more than 257,000 public employees have enjoyed a 2% pay increase, to which an additional 1.5% is added to alleviate the effects of inflation.
Bernabé also stressed that almost 237 million euros have been allocated to active employment policies for the citizens of the Valencian Community; 32 million euros to correct the imbalances that affect the labor market and 16 million euros have been allocated to the Co-responsible Plan, to favor the reconciliation of families and create quality employment in the care sector. Also, more than 100 million euros have been allocated in training to promote the employability of citizens and business competitiveness.
Combating gender-based violence
“Another of the priorities of the Spanish Government is undoubtedly to put an end to violence against women,” said Bernabé. For this reason, it has invested about 17 million euros in the Valencian Community to combat male violence. Of the total, more than 8 million euros have been allocated directly to the autonomous community within the framework of the State Pact against Gender Violence and more than 5 million euros have been transferred to the Valencian municipalities for the development of their competences. In addition, the almost 3 million euros for the creation of 24-hour Comprehensive Care Centres for victims of sexual violence or the million euros for developing social assistance programs for victims of gender violence and child care, improving coordination, developing personalized plans and supporting victims of sexual assault.
Education, Health, Housing and response to the crisis generated by the War in Ukraine
According to the delegate, “education is the basic pillar for social and economic progress. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that it reaches all girls and boys in the same way.” For this reason, the more than 11 million euros for the educational reinforcement program PROA+, or the 7.5 million euros have been distributed for the financing of textbooks. To these is added 35 million euros for the training and improvement of digital skills, especially of minors in vulnerable situations; the more than 34 million that will be allocated to the creation of 2,279 public and free places of first cycle of Early Childhood Education. Vocational Training or the more than 56 million euros have been allocated for the promotion of the Plan for the Modernization of Vocational Training.
In the field of housing, Bernabé has reviewed the more than 39 million euros of the State Housing Plan 2022-2025 aimed at aid for the rental of vulnerable groups, to increase the public housing stock and for the promotion of housing rehabilitation or the 54 million euros have been dedicated to the construction of affordable rental social housing, among others.
For its part, more than 173,000 people have benefited from the thermal social bond, with a budget of 43 million euros. And more than 20 million euros have been allocated for the Family Protection and Child Poverty Care Programme.
The delegate has also highlighted 19 million euros to develop the Primary and Community Care Action Plan 2022-2023; the almost 2 million euros have been agreed for the equipment of the Mental Health Action Plan or the 37 million euros for the acquisition of high-technology equipment foreseen in the Plan of Investments in High-Technology Equipment (INVEAT Plan)
The delegate also referred to the actions of the Government in cultural matters, which highlighted the importance of the Cultural Voucher from which 32,161 young people have benefited. 60.7% of potential beneficiaries throughout the Valencian Community have requested it.
Likewise, as a result of the crisis generated by the Putin war, the Government has allocated to the Comunitat a series of investments to help both the affected sectors and the displaced people. Also to the Valencian citizens, in general, who have benefited from measures such as the implementation of the Renfe Subscriptions. Last year, 253,594 people have benefited from the free purchase of Renfe’s multi-travel subscriptions in Neighbourhoods and Half Distance. In addition, almost 104,000 students have received an additional 400 euros in their scholarship, with an investment of 39 million euros and more than 70,000 people have benefited from the aid of 200 euros to mitigate the impact of inflation. Around EUR 14 million has already been paid.