World Bank approves USD 395-million Financing for the implementation of Social Programs for the Benefit of the Most Vulnerable
The resources will allow expanding the water and sanitation network, and maintaining the social electricity rate, improving environmental and housing conditions in the lowest income areas
The World Bank approved additional financing for USD 245 million for the Sustainable Development of the Matanza Riachuelo Basin II project, and USD 150 million for the Province of Buenos Aires for the Support for the transition of the Electric Social Rate program.
The works will directly benefit 2.4 million citizens in the 14 districts in the basin, and 1.2 million people living along the River Plate. Indirect beneficiaries amount to 10 million inhabitants who will achieve a correct and safe sewage discharge, by expanding the capacity of the collecting system.
The Project will benefit the area of the AySA concession, which includes the City of Buenos Aires and 26 Districts of Greater Buenos Aires, and will contribute to the fulfillment of the goals of the National Plan for Drinking Water and Sanitation to reach levels of 100% coverage in drinking water and 75% in sewer in urban areas of the country.
The program to support the transition of the Electric Social Rate (TSE, for its acronym in Spanish) is aimed at the improvement of the housing conditions of the population in a situation of greater vulnerability, through the continuity of the electricity tariff subsidy.
Likewise, improvements are expected in the administration of the TSE that will result in greater effectiveness of the current scheme through the systematization and use of the data related to the allocation of the TSE and the strengthening of the management of the governing bodies in energy. 1.43 million inhabitants with TSE will be the direct beneficiaries and the entire population of the 135 Districts of the Province of Buenos Aires will be indirect beneficiaries.
The approval of these operations is the result of the work coordinated by the Under-secretariat of International Financial Relations of the Ministry of Finance, the national and provincial authorities, which together with the World Bank team of experts join their efforts to guarantee access to modern and affordable energy services, essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.