Sergio Massa tries to lower the fiscal deficit, but at least $ 2.1 billion remained in seven months due to subsidies

The search for a reduction in public spending by the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, seems to go against the tide convincing data on grant disbursements that the Government did in the first seven and a half months of 2022.

By breaking down area by area, Clarione calculated at a minimum of $ 2.1 billion allocated subsidies this part of the year. Measured at an official average dollar of $ 115.86, they are equivalent to $ 18.125 million with which sectors such as the energy, transport and social plans, among others.

For example, the expenditure for pensions, pensions and allowances that depend on ANSES, exceeding 3.5 billion dollars, is not counted, nor is the payment of interest on the public debt, which today reaches 800,000 million dollars. The data comes from the official website Open budget, dependent on the Ministry of Economy.

Half the cost, to Energy

The sector that requires the highest level of financial assistance from the state is energy, which receives funds from various programs. On the one hand, central subsidies, which since the arrival of Massa the government seems willing to try to reduce. Inserted within the Ministry of Economy in “Formulation and execution of the electricity policy”, They already reach $ 563.003 million in the year, nearly half of the updated $ 1.16 billion budget with which they must finish this budget cycle.

In addition, $ 52,724 million of resources were transferred from the same portfolio “Formulation and implementation of the hydrocarbon policy”, 31.86% of the total of $ 162,135 million provided to subsidize gas tariffs. Adding both programs and comparing it to the official average dollar, they asked together 6,250 million dollars in just over seven monthsone third of the total.

But there are also energy disbursements through other portfolios. For example, under the concept of “Financial assistance to the Secretary of Energy and other entities”, 331,962 million dollars have already been sold. Almost all of these funds, 306,892 million dollars, went to Ieasa, the former Enarsa, key in the construction of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline, and which depends on the field player Agustín Geréz. Dollarized, these subsidies are equivalent to 2,649 million dollars. Thus, all the energy expenditure reaches $ 8.9 billionhalf of the total grant expenditure.

Transport, another subsidized box

The Transportation area is another area that receives the highest level of subsidies from the state, which is largely received through controlled fares on train and bus tickets, beyond the latest increases.

To the Ministry of Transportcontrolled by the massist Alexis Guerrera, 94,322 million dollars were transferred to him in the year, just over half of the 179,256 million dollars he has for this entire year to the Program for the formulation and execution of global transport mobility policies, some 814 million dollars.

But he also has income from another box, the aforementioned Obligations of the Treasury. From there, another 143,851 million dollars have already been sent (1.241 million dollars) to Transport as “Financial Assistance”. Trenes Argentinos received $ 81,238 million ($ 700 million), while Aerolineas Argentinas received another $ 34,335 million, the equivalent of $ 300 million. The remainder, about 28,000 million dollars, was mainly allocated to sectors related to the railway area.

The box of social plans, on the rise

Central to the cataract of cuts and pickets that social organizations have made since the beginning of the year, the level of state assistance to social plans has grown exponentially in 2022, administered centrally by Juan Zabaleta of the Ministry of Social Development.

The Power up the workheaded by the leader of the Evita Movement Emilio Persico, is the bank that has received the most transfers, with 237,640 million dollars, 83% of the 284,587 million dollars that should enter the area.

Food policies, externally managed Laura Valeria Alonso, raised $ 210,658 million in funds. When added to both programs, dollarized, they represent an expense of $ 3.87 billion.

There is another social program that is constantly increasing, but it is within the framework of the Ministry of Education. This is the Progress Scholarshipsfor which 58,370 million dollars have already been paid during the year, just over $ 500 million.

The rest is distributed among the ministries

Although this is a marginal part of the total cost of the grants, the rest of the resources are distributed among the ministries that make up the public administration.

For example, a Public Works As of August 14, approximately $ 60,000 million has been received, while Territorial development and habitat another 150 billion dollars. Also, Productive developmentthe ministry led by Matías Kulfas and Daniel Scioli and absorbed by Sergio Massa, received about 24,000 million dollars.