In the discussions started for the government plan of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the party already takes for granted the replacement of Auxílio Brasil — an income transfer program created by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
The idea is to resume the foundations (and the name) of Bolsa Família, a social brand of PT management, and pave the way for changes in the social program. Among them, an increase in the benefit paid and the creation of an automatic annual readjustment of the amounts.
The current average level of Auxílio Brasil is R$409.51, which is well above the R$227 (adjusted for inflation) paid at the end of Bolsa Família. For the new program, the PT has not yet defined values.
In addition, conversations point to a rule that prevents queues in the program. Thus, every family that meets the criteria of poverty and extreme poverty would be entitled to the benefit. This would further expand the coverage of the program, which reached a record 18 million families this year.
The directions designed for the social area in Lula’s government plan would represent an increase in federal spending. However, PT members claim that space will be sought in the Budget to fund the project.
In the PT, there are those who defend the repeal of the spending ceiling (rule that prevents the growth of federal expenses above inflation) in general. But in other parties in the coalition, there is a wing that is looking for a middle ground. That is, revoking the ceiling only for certain types of expenses (such as social expenses) and keeping it for other expenses.
Tereza Campello, former minister of Social Development and Fight against Hunger and PT’s main reference in the social area, says that resources destined to income transfer programs generate an effect on GDP (Gross Domestic Product) above what was disbursed. The idea is also defended by economists from other currents, such as the economic team of then president Michel Temer (MDB).
“Establishing a budget ceiling for a program that has this potential to boost the economy makes no sense. Former President Lula says that the poor are not a problem, the poor are a solution. We have a market [de consumo] huge with it,” Campello told Sheet.
She conducted a study at the Perseu Abramo Foundation with proposals for social protection and development.
Setting a budget ceiling for a program [Bolsa Família] that has this potential to boost the economy makes no sense. Former President Lula says that the poor are not a problem, the poor are a solution. we have a market [de consumo] huge with it
PT president Gleisi Hoffmann confirmed that studies already conducted by the foundation will be the basis for discussion for the government plan for Lula’s campaign. “We want to take back what was dismantled. The name [do programa]whether it is Bolsa Família or Novo Bolsa Família, this will be discussed later”.
To justify the program’s new name change, the party’s line of argument is that, in addition to rescuing Bolsa Família’s bases, there will also be adjustments — such as updating the ranges for entitlement to income transfers.
Today, to enter Auxílio Brasil, the Single Registry (which brings together the public of social programs) considers people with a monthly income of R$ 105 per family member to be in extreme poverty. Income between R$105.01 and R$210 is classified as a situation of poverty – and also fits the criterion.
The PT will discuss the creation of a mechanism to readjust these bands according to inflation.
“It’s not going back to Bolsa Família as it was before. It needs to be updated. But the core issues need to be resumed,” said Campello.
Specialists in the social area point out that Auxílio Brasil weakened the policy for monitoring families that are within the program, such as checking school attendance and children’s food.
The proposal to be debated by the campaign also provides for greater integration between the SUAS (Single Social Assistance System) and strengthening of the Single Registry.
“We can articulate income transfers with basic sanitation, housing and transport policies, creating a virtuous circle that reduces monetary poverty, constant illness and early deaths and facilitates urban mobility”, suggests the document by the Perseu Abramo Foundation. .
Lula and Bolsonaro lead polls for voting intentions in the October election. Bolsonaro launched Auxílio Brasil after seeing its popularity increase in the period of payment of emergency aid (during the pandemic), which required more than BRL 350 billion in resources.
A Datafolha survey released in May, however, showed that the change of name to Auxílio Brasil has not yet brought electoral dividends to Bolsonaro. Among those who reported receiving the benefit under the new model, the president reached 20% of voting intentions, while former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) reached 59% of that public.
Changes in the social program under study by the PT:
- Benefit increase and automatic readjustment
- Increase in the range of poverty and extreme poverty and automatic readjustment
- End of the queue and increase in the number of beneficiaries
- Strengthening the Single Registry
- Change of name to Bolsa Família or Novo Bolsa Família
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
