The Government will transfer to the provinces $ 10,500 million as subsidy for public transportation

Amid the bid for equitable distribution of national transport subsidies, which greatly benefit the AMBA, the Ministry of Transport has made an official increase in the assistance it transfers monthly to the provinces it aims to reach. the $ 46 billion in 2022 corresponding to the Compensation Fund for Public Passenger Transport.

by Resolution 263/2022published this Thursday in the Official Gazette signed by Alexis Guerrera, “monthly amount up to $ 3.5 billion for the months of April, May and June“, with a total of $ 10,500 million” for Urban and Suburban Public Transportation Services for Passengers of Motor Vehicles in the interior of the country “.

In this way, the Government ordered an increase of $ 300 million per month for the second quarter of this year, because between January and March, the monthly fee was $ 3,200 million for companies in the sector.

The proposal was made official after a meeting held by Minister Guerrera on Wednesday with the Federal Transportation Committee (COFETRA) and representatives of the provinces called as an “urgency” to discuss the reality of transportation companies in the interior of the country. . .

At that very meeting, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to financially assist the provinces with 46 billion pesos throughout 2022 through the Compensation Fund for public transport. COFETRA noted that only $ 28 billion is planned for 2022.

Despite no approval of the 2022 Budget –voted against the opposition-, the national government understands that “it is necessary to guarantee a safe and efficient public transport service across the country,” sources from the ministry said. of Transportation mentioned by Télam.

At the meeting, which took place in the offices of the Ministry of Transportation, were present: the Secretary of Interjurisdictional Articulation, Marcos Farina; the Undersecretary of Automotive Transport, Laura Labat; the Undersecretary of Economic and Financial Transport Policy, Carlos Vittor; the National Director of Automotive Transport, Alejandro Storello; and representatives of COFETRA and of the provinces.

Strictly speaking, the position of the provinces was set at an institutional meeting of COFETRA held in Córdoba on April 27, when the representatives of the province agreed on the terms of a document presented to the Minister of Transportation. At that meeting, various problems related to tariffs, subsidies and joint transportation were discussed.

To this was added the announcement of the collective strike within the country which strengthened the demands of the governors in the Country for a more equitable distribution of subsidies.

In December last year, a 40% increase in sector subsidies was established by establishing a monthly amount of up to $ 3.2 billion, for the months of January, February and March, with a total of $ 9.6 billion in the first quarter for to the internal public. transportation.

The Compensation Fund -which includes economic assistance for passenger transportation- is an exceptional accompaniment conducted by the national government in the provinces, which is responsible for supporting the public transportation system based on the initial fiscal agreement signed in 2018 .

GRB