The Ministry of Economy (MINEC) yesterday officially announced the departure of 148.343 households in the list of beneficiaries of the subsidy to electricity. This figure represents between 14% and 15% of all households receiving the allowance, as stated by the Minister of Economy, Tharsis Solomon Lopez, during the act of accountability of the appropriate state portfolio to June 2015 and May 2016 .
In El Salvador 921.099 households receive the subsidy to electricity, according to the MINEC. The parameter for the delivery of the contribution will be energy consumption does not exceed 100 kilowatts per hour, said the state portfolio.
Government officials as the technical secretary of the Presidency, Roberto Lorenzana, and the minister Lopez have said that the objective of rationalization plan this grant is to exclude companies, NGOs, churches and individuals who own ranches beach or more than one housing his name or who are located in the "to medium high high-top and classes" according to a socio-economic study prepared in 2010 by the MINEC, the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) and the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP).
"Subsidies are for people who really need them and that people have always asked, think tanks, the private sector and agencies," Lopez said during the announcement.
Organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have insisted on this and other governments in targeting subsidies. MINEC clarified that in the case of this subsidy, the portfolio is responsible for the analysis and management of the database and the Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River (CEL) is responsible the payment of the subsidy.
Propane gas
Lopez also explained yesterday cut 30.687 homes propane gas subsidy. The holder disaggregate the departments where beneficiaries have been eliminated: in Santa Ana are 1.535, Sonsonate Chalatenango 266 and 196. In San Salvador they were removed from the standard 19.587 beneficiaries and 8,680 in La Libertad, which are the largest cuts. San Miguel 423 homes were abolished.
"It has begun to exclude those according to their economic position can cover this amount: High-upper and upper middle classes," the official said.
During this month MINEC disburses $ 3.89 for families who buy gas. The cylinder most used in the country, 25 pounds, has a cost of $ 8.79 for end consumers.
Beneficiaries who believe they deserve to continue receiving government aid can be submitted Attention centers Demand (CENADE).
Lopez reported that as of Monday will be available on the web form to request verification Consultas.minec.gob.sv/socioeconomico staff MINEC.
"We clarify that families identified within the high-low, medium-high, medium-medium, medium-low social stratification and subsequent lower classes are not being included in this process of focusing or streamlining" read López of a statement by MINEC.
"The will of this government is to implement this efficiency in spending and give the subsidy who really need it, because in rural and poverty $ 3.89 areas often mean the Lunchable all week," he reiterated.
MINEC reported that the gas subsidy they receive 1.1 million households across the country.
Furthermore, the portfolio said that "the payment to the gas companies that distribute subsidized product has been regulated and is expected to be normalized this month, according to the offerings of the Ministry of Finance.
Some businesses have reported that they have not received the funds to transfer the subsidy to the beneficiaries (see sidebar). The technical secretary, Roberto Lorenzana, acknowledged a few weeks delay in disbursements ago, but said they were already catching up with the gas companies.
In 2011 the MINEC implement a new scheme for the delivery of gas subsidy. He went to deliver it to gas companies to pay the people directly. Years later implemented the use of a card for the beneficiary is identified in the establishment and receive the subsidy. MINEC reported yesterday that the project involved the identification and registration of approximately 1.3 million Solidarias cards and registration of 9,000 outlets. It said that there was a savings of $ 46.2 million in 2015, but did not specify what period against the comparison was made.