The deputy delegate of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas, highlighted the social and economic transformation of the province through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) of the Government, “which improves the lives of more than one million Coruñeses and Coruñesas, of each and every one of the concellos, parishes and places of our territory.”
María Rivas took stock of the four years that the Recovery Plan has been launched in the province, a mechanism promoted by the Government of Pedro Sánchez with the president himself at the head and that helped to alleviate the economic effects derived from the health crisis of the COVID, begun in 2020.
María Rivas gave an account of the Government’s investments in the territory, highlighting that “it is complying with A Coruña” and with the plan’s own objectives, when it was devised. On the other hand, these benefits certify that Coruñese citizens were able to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Government to emerge stronger from the crisis resulting from the pandemic and consolidate a country that, four years later, is making steady progress in territorial and social cohesion, is more sustainable, more digital and has a more competitive economy. “There is no doubt about the plan’s footprint when A Coruña, all of Galicia and all of Spain were facing such an extreme situation as the pandemic and were able to leave it behind moving towards one of the best moments of their economy in decades.”
Social, economic and infrastructure improvements
The funds of the Recovery Plan have been distributed throughout the territory of the province of A Coruña in three fundamental pillars, such as social policies, the promotion of companies and the productive fabric and, for the benefit of both the citizens and the economic sectors, in the infrastructures.
In the first of these fields, the Government’s commitment to access housing for Coruñeses and Coruñeses stands out. “With the actions within this section, the Government promotes a fairer country, full of opportunities for the whole society without exception and more territorially cohesive,” said María Rivas, who detailed the investments made in this area.
In terms of housing, the Government has invested 40 million euros in rehabilitation and construction, “working for the solution that will solve the habitability crisis”. Similarly, the government invested more than 50 million to extend high-speed broadband to 71,000 families across the province. Not only that, in this game there are also the expansion of FP and early childhood education places, improvements in dependency and care or the creation of 24h Crisis Centers for victims of sexual violence. “In short, policies that put Coruñeses and Coruñeses at the center.”
Regarding the promotion of companies, María Rivas highlighted the projects of green hydrogen, with an investment of 215 million euros in this province alone; the future Technological Center of Supercomputing of Galicia, with 47 million of the Perte Chip; the reempowerment of wind farms and hydroelectric power plants, with another 45 million; the impulse to the modernization of companies with 23 million of the Perte of Decarbonization; or the granting of more than 15,900 aid of Kit Digital in A Coruña (equivalent to more than 66 million euros) and of 850 aid of the program Kit Consulting in the entire Autonomous Community of Galicia.
The subdelegate also highlighted the items dedicated to infrastructure, where those aimed at promoting the railway stand out. “We invest 250 million in improving the railway network, mainly the external port of A Coruña, and the intermodal stations of the large cities, such as Santiago and Coruña,” said María Rivas, who also influenced the humanizations of urban crossings or motorways, “such as Avenida das Pías, in Ferrol; the crossing in O Milladoiro, in Ames; or the transformation of Alfonso Molina in A Coruña.”
“At the same time, we focus on improving the sanitation of cities, such as the new treatment plant of A Silvouta; on the improvement of public buildings, which translates into more than 35 million to rehabilitate the markets of Saint Lucia and Monte Alto de A Coruña, the improvement of the sports pavilions of Fontes do Sar and Vite in Santiago or the conditioning of the Casa do Concello in Ribeira,” added María Rivas.
These policies are in line with the Government’s efforts to achieve “friendlier and more people-oriented cities”, such as the almost 40 million in the Recovery Plan in the province for projects focused on promoting new mobility and green transition in municipalities of Demographic Challenge, evidencing the Government’s commitment to small rural concellos.
Weaving the future of A Coruña
Of the total funds registered in Galicia by the Recovery Plan, the Government of Spain directly executed 2,298 million euros (53%) while Xunta received 1,746 million in the form of transfers (47%). “This balanced distribution reaffirms the government’s commitment to co-governance and respect for the distribution of competences in its execution,” said the subdelegate to respect.
María Rivas pointed out the importance of the joint commitment of the different administrations for the execution of the funds of the Recovery Plan, in reference to the Xunta de Galicia, which she claimed to “put on the batteries” to be able to “weave the future of the province that we all want”. This appeal to co-governance follows the line opened by the government delegate, Pedro Blanco, when he pointed out that Galicia could not afford such a low execution of the funds of the Recovery Plan.
Just as María Rivas appealed to the mobilization of the Xunta, she also had words of thanks and congratulations for the mayors of the different towns and cities of Coruna that echoed the opportunity represented by these government funds. “There is a responsible Coruña, which is taking advantage of this historic opportunity to generate better villas and cities in the search for social welfare.”
In addition, the deputy delegate also highlighted the “determining and committed role, as in the case of municipalities,” of many entrepreneurs who saw the Recovery Plan as a way to move closer to the future and continue growing.” In this regard, María Rivas pointed out the important role played by the collaboration between companies and the Government to give rise to A Coruña of the future, “a more prosperous, modern, digital and fair place, where opportunities reach all its corners. In short, an A Coruña inspired and based on the spirit that moved the Government and its president, Pedro Sánchez, to promote this Recovery Plan that in these days celebrates four years of progress and social welfare.”