The government has admitted this has postponed the increase in the electricity bill for homes, as announced exclusively by Clarín Saturday. The removal of subsidies, with the consequent increase in utility bills, was scheduled for September, but passed in October, confirmed the Executive Power.
The September increase would be reflected in the bills customers would receive in October. But everything was kicked for at least a month: the secretary of energy, Flavia Royón, explained that the the segmentation will take place “starting from October consumption”. The new cards, therefore, will arrive in November.
The government has problems of identifying low-income families which have not been entered in the grant register. And it could not be resolved until the end of the year, as the Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royón, admitted.
There are also other causes such as the appeals of the governors, of the mayors who, faced with an inflation of 7% per month they fear that a climate of social unrest will develop. It is the argument that too handle by Kirchnerism which opposes adjustment.
Energy had defined that customers (regardless of their economic situation) not registered in the register of grant applicants they would have lost them. In this way, they received the same treatment as the higher income segments.
But more than 5 million families did not apply for subsidies. “Most are not high-income,” Governors and mayors have warned the secretary of energy.
There was concern among Kirchnerist leaders why feared to see cards with increases of up to 50% (such as those who would lose subsidies) in low-income sectors. The questions were both public and private.
According to government estimates, there are two million families who cannot benefit from the “social tariff”. But they couldn’t even cope with interest rates with hikes. They would be low-income segments, but who have not applied for the subsidy.
“Everyone (users) must register. But we found a high percentage of people who didn’t sign up because they didn’t have information, don’t have connectivity, or simply didn’t know. This is why we do not yet have a deadline, we have the idea that before the end of the year everyone will already be enrolled ”, said Royón in the declarations to the“ Toma y Daca ”program (AM 750).
The Secretary of Energy has defined three levels of income to continue or lose benefits. Those corresponding to “high” incomes –earn more than $ 390,000 per month, or they receive less but want to continue with the possibility of grabbing the savings dollar, they will lose the subsidies in their bill in three installments. They were called “N1” in the official jargon.
“At Nation we have no user database, which is why we have given a little more time to identify unregistered users. The goal is for everyone to sign up by the end of the year, “Royón said.
The Executive had also defined that those who did not register in the grant register – to maintain the grants – would have been labeled “N1”, that is, they did not need state aid. For them there would be a rate without discounts, with increases that can reach up to 170%, according to analysts’ estimates.
The government arrived in late September with a number that surprised him: more than five million homes have not been registered in the grant register. That way, everyone would have their own high-income treatment: no more subsidies.
“You have to apply for the subsidy. Anyone interested in keeping it must apply for it on the government page, “said Royón.” Anyone with a high income level or who does not apply for it, the subsidy will be gradually withdrawn, “the official said.
“Among those who do not register, if they have a social rate, we have contemplated them, even if we ask them to register. In this first phase, even if they are not registered, their subsidies will be kept, ”he added.
Source: Clarin
