The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, invited the Galician councillors of less than 10,000 inhabitants to participate in the second edition of the Rural TIC program, a project designed and promoted by the public company INECO, dependent on the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda.
Pedro Blanco framed this program in the Government’s commitment to territorial cohesion in digitization, through programs and investments that ensure that citizens and businesses in rural areas have the same tools and training as those in urban areas. “Our commitment, the commitment of the Government, is that rural people, towns and parishes have quality public services, digital tools and the same opportunities available to the rest of the population,” said the delegate.
The Rural TIC program allows INECO professionals (who act as digital nomads”) to move to the municipalities selected on a temporary basis and, during their stay, dedicate a part of their working day to provide advice and training. The formula designed by the public company allows professionals who are part of the program to combine teleworking with the realization of training workshops in social and economic digitalization.
These workshops include training in the use of new technologies to the older population (social digitalization) or advice to local SMEs, entities or associations (economic digitalization), to enhance their digital positioning, improving or creating websites, increasing their presence in social networks or designing apps that optimize the activity, among other initiatives.
Pedro Blanco reported that nine Galician concellos have already benefited from the first edition of this program: Cerdido, Porto do Son and Vimianzo in the province of A Coruña; the Concello de Trabada in the province of Lugo, and in the province of Ourense, the concellos of Carballeda de Avia, Cortegada, A Gudiña, Parada de Sil and A Pobra de Trives. And he recalled that the deadline for the receipt of candidacies is still open at the link: RuralTIC INECO
Commitment to rural digitization
Pedro Blanco highlighted the “ambitious program of measures and investments” launched by the Government to combat the problem of the demographic challenge and the depopulation of Galician villages and villas through digitalization. In this line, he recalled the UNICO Program, which mobilizes more than 90 million euros to bring high-speed internet to all corners of Galicia, or the Digital Kit, from which about 20,000 SMEs and self-employed have already benefited thanks to an injection of 85 million euros from the funds of the Recovery Plan.
Also ‘The Administration Near You’, a program developed from the Government Delegation itself, through the provincial subdelegations, in which the staff of these agencies travel to the smaller municipalities to carry out training actions on the services offered by the Public Administration through the Internet.