The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, highlighted the 20 projects presented by small municipalities, social entities and small companies that will benefit from the aid for territorial transformation and the fight against depopulation launched by the Ministry for Ecological Transformation and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). Pedro Blanco explained that “these investments represent a total of 1,700,393.55 euros that will help improve and revitalize the economy and the demographic situation of the areas facing the demographic challenge.”
The government delegate traveled this week to the Ourense city of O Bolo to get to know first-hand one of the projects selected by the Ministry and “thank you for the work carried out by the municipalities to carry out programs that reverse the consequences of the demographic challenge and attract investments, tourism and population to boost their activity”. The delegate was interested in the initiatives promoted by the local government presided over by Mayor Alberto Vázquez. These initiatives have as a framework of action the program “Develop O Bolo” that will receive 70,356.78 euros for the creation of a housing office and the realization of improvements in the Castelo and the museum of Lo Yosso, as well as the impulse of the Irmandy Festival of the town.
The delegate recalled that this category of municipalities of the “demographic challenge” was established by the Government of Pedro Sánchez to designate and support municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants that require a plan to tackle the depopulation and abandonment of the rural and affirmed that “the work carried out by the administrations of these municipalities is fundamental so that they can move forward and build municipalities more alive and dynamic, putting a stop to the depopulation of the rural and betting on the sustainability and expansion of services, making life in it more attractive and promoting advances that put the people who inhabit it in the center.”
The delegate advanced satisfaction with projects that are in the same line as the Government’s policies in which it respects the Demographic Challenge and showed that this aid is another sign of the Government’s firm commitment, which favors communication between administrations to achieve, among all, an integrated Galician territory adapted to the new forms of work and opportunities that proved effective in the face of the depopulation suffered by these territories.
Resolution of the call for applications in Galicia
The Ministry for the Ecological Transition resolved last week the second call for aid for innovative projects against depopulation in municipalities of demographic challenge. The program includes grants in three modalities: initiatives promoted by local entities, promoted by non-profit entities and #entrepreneurial or entrepreneurship initiative.
Throughout Spain, 21.1 million euros were granted for 380 projects, of the more than 1,000 applications received in the call.
Of the total granted for Galicia, there are projects that will be developed in one municipality (Ortigueira, Monforte, A Pontenova, Parada de Sil, Mondariz, Ribeira de Piquín, Ares, Navia de Suarna, etc.) and others that will impact in several provinces (Aldealista) and several municipalities of the same province (Os Ancares).