The deputy delegate of the Government in Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez, today highlighted the impact of the 1,255 million euros invested by the Government of Spain in Lugo in recent years, “an unprecedented amount with which it demonstrates its commitment to the development and well-being of the province and the Lucenses, advancing in a fair and social economic recovery, focusing mainly on people.” Of this amount, there are the 245 million euros of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, the more than 500 million allocated in the General State Budgets, in addition to the 510 million in transfers to local administrations of the province.
Among the main axes of the Government’s actions, the subdelegate pointed out the Recovery Plan as a road map with more than 2,400 actions carried out in the province that allowed to promote the modernization of the Lucense economic and productive model. “We want a green, digital, inclusive, egalitarian, social and cohesive province and these funds are vain in achieving this objective,” said Isabel Rodríguez, adding that the Government’s Recovery Plan is reaching all corners of the province.
These advances are concrete for us about 34 million of the UNICO Program – Broadband, which will provide high-speed Internet to 100% of the territory; the 9 million euros of the Digital Kit, which will digitize more than 2,400 companies and self-employed; 6 million for tourism sustainability plans, 5.5 million for the rehabilitation of public buildings, another 5.2 million euros for the modernization and provision of high-technology sanitary equipment, or the more than 3 million destined to develop clean energy initiatives, among many others.
Infrastructure impetus
Regarding the infrastructure and connections of the province of Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez valued the record investments to comply with the commitment to modernize the railway, with 550 million euros for the Lugo-Monforte-Ourense line; the advance to finish the A-54 motorway, with 86.6 million for the stretch of Palas de Rei to Melide; the unblocking of the project of the intermodal of Lugo, with 31 million euros and another 21 million for the renovation of tunnels on the roads of the province. He also highlighted the more than 6 million for the new Monforte treatment plant and the improvement of sanitation in Guitiriz, the completion of the much-demanded roundabout in the N-VI in Lugo, the nearly 6 million for anti-fog measures in the La-8, achieving an exploitation of the road during 99% of the time; or the recent railway cybersecurity center of Monforte.
“These are some examples of record investments that put Lugo in the place it deserves and that take steps to make it a reference in northwestern Spain, with funds to advance the main infrastructures and complete large projects that will improve the quality of life of the citizens, with which the Government of Pedro Sánchez does justice with the Lucenses, allocating money so that our province benefits from the fair recovery,” said the deputy delegate, who said that “we will continue working to reverse the paralysis suffered by Lugo with previous governments.”
Strengthening social policies
A subdelegada also referred to the social measures implemented by the Government of Spain “putting people at the center of all policies and protecting the majority of Spaniards, those who were victims of the regressive policies of other executives, the middle and working class, pensioners, youth, as well as the most vulnerable groups” and which are exemplified in that one out of every six euros of budgets is in vain for social spending.
Among them, he cited the revaluation of pensions to 8.5%, from which 114,000 Lucenses benefit; the increase of the Minimum Vital Income, reaching more than 10,000 people in Lugo; the increase of the minimum wage, going from 735.9 euros gross per month in 2018 to the current 1,080 euros; the Social Electric Bonus to reduce the electricity bill, from which 11,000 Lucenses families are favored; the almost 6 million euros for study grants, from which more than 3,000 students in the province benefited; the Xove Cultural Bonus, with an economic injection of more than 450,000 euros for the Lugo sector and 139 girls.
“The commitment and effort of the Government of Pedro Sánchez is helping to reinforce equal opportunities in the territory and the Welfare State of the neighbors of Lugo, returning rights, without leaving anyone behind,” said the deputy delegate.
Measures to alleviate inflation
Isabel Rodríguez defended that, in a context marked by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Spanish economy continues to grow and create employment thanks to the measures adopted by the Government of Spain to alleviate inflation.
Thus, he recalled the reduction of VAT on certain food products, the cheaper receipt of electricity, the so-called ‘Iberian Solution’ to limit the price of natural gas, which comes from being extended by Brussels until the end of the year, the reduction of 20 cents in the combustíbeis, the gratuitousness of rail transport subscriptions, the 68 million euros in direct aid to the fisheries sector or the 362 for farmers and farmers, among others.
To these must be added all the actions aimed at guaranteeing the employment and maintenance of the business fabric, such as the temporary employment regulation files (ERTE), which had already proven their effectiveness during the pandemic, as well as a line of guarantees from the Official Credit Institute (ICO) for 10 billion euros aimed at guaranteeing the liquidity of companies and self-employed.
“There are many challenges and also the opportunities that Lugo has ahead in the coming months. With the impetus of the Government of Pedro Sánchez, which complied like no other with the province, we will manage to reduce social divides and increase productivity and growth of the economy,” concluded the subdelegate.