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The Government confirmed that it will only assist 9,000 soup kitchens, despite the picketers' demand for more food - Infobae
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El Gobierno confirmó que asistirá sólo a 9.000 comedores populares, pese al reclamo piquetero por más alimentos
Los movimientos sociales denunciaron que cerraron merenderos o que atienden menos días porque el Ministerio de Capital Humano no les entrega comida. Sandra Pettovello reiteró que brinda ayuda a través del Programa Alimentar Comunidad
www.infobae.com
April 04, 2024
The social movements reported that they closed snack bars or that they serve fewer days because the Ministry of Human Capital does not provide them with food. Sandra Pettovello reiterated that she provides help through the Alimentar Comunidad Program
By Andres Klipphan
Social movements denounce that dining rooms are closing due to lack of food. The Government affirms that it assists the spaces that are registered (AP)
The social movements and picketers reported that they were forced to close community dining rooms and picnic areas, or open fewer days, to assist the most vulnerable families and blame the Ministry of Human Capital, headed by Sandra Pettovello , for the lack of delivery. of dry foods. As they explain, this has been happening since November 2023 and, as a way of protest, on April 10 they will hold a new national march . Human Capital assured Infobae that at this time the State assists 9,080 registered canteens and remember that food will not be sent to canteens that are not properly documented.
Of those 9,080 soup kitchens, Human Capital officials explained that “125 began to receive direct assistance through the Alimentar Comunidades card” and that “the rest of them for the moment receive it in the general accounts of the community organization or NGO. “in charge of the dining room.” And they clarified: “The Alimentar Comunidades card will soon be expanded so that more canteens can participate.”
Social leaders, such as members of the Polo Obrero, Somos Barrios de Pie, the Evita Movement and the Classist and Combative Current, assure that they have registered canteens and picnic areas, but the food has not arrived for months and neither has direct assistance. These organizations, together with the Piquetera Unit and the rest of the movements that make up the UTEP, have already agreed to hold a new protest next Wednesday, April 10 against the social policy of Javier Milei. The modality still needs to be established.
From the Ministry of Human Capital, headed by Sandra Pettovello, they reported that the State assists 9,080 registered kitchens
It is expected that the concentration in CABA will be at a single point and not at five, like on March 17 in which there were incidents with federal forces that enforced the Anti-Picket Protocol. The intention is to show “massiveness and power of convocation.” From the Casa Rosada they affirm that they will not be received as long as they maintain that position and that there will be no going back on the decisions that have already been made.
How many dining rooms are there?
Popular organizations affirm that there are about 44,000 soup kitchens throughout the country. However, Pettovello's Ministry rejects that figure. So how many canteens exist in Argentina?
A collaborator of Pettovello responded like this: “ The actual total number of dining rooms is not known , because the payroll is informal and they were never properly registered. For example, there is no data on canteens installed by social organizations, individuals or Non-Governmental Organizations that have no relationship with the State . And he added: "There are some union members who use the number 44 thousand canteens , but this data arises from an old data, because there was once a National Registry of Canteens (RENACOM), but the previous government did not update it, those spaces were 'pre registered' and neither the registrations nor the cancellations were formalized.”
Human Capital recalled a piece of information that was already reported by this means. “Of the survey of dining rooms that the Ministry has been carrying out since the two administrations, that is, the current one and the previous one, which had started an audit in 2023, of the 9,000 dining rooms surveyed, only about 4,000 were working; That is to say, 55% do not exist .”
For this reason, they understand in La Libertada Avanza: “The figure of 44,000 is fed by canteens that do not exist, canteens that no longer exist or canteens that were registered more than once .”
When consulted once again by this means, the Pettovello official once again emphasized: “The ministry only has an impact on the 9,080 soup kitchens that are currently being assisted and that are registered and verified. It is the only way to ensure that food reaches the most vulnerable sectors.”
Social movements announced a new march against the Government on April 10 (AP)
During Alberto Fernández 's administration , 4.2% of the dry food distributed by the former Ministry of Social Development - current Secretariat of Children, Adolescents and Family - entered directly and into the deposits of social organizations grouped in the Workers' Union. of the Popular Economy, or picketers, such as the Polo Obrero, among others. And from there the social leaders distributed it to the canteens of those organizations.
According to official records, only 8% of that merchandise was surrendered, that is, the number of people who were assisted was certain. “The distribution of food was done on a discretionary basis,” they say from the Casa Rosada and they believe that it was used “in an extortionate manner and to engage in politics.”
Paradigm shift
Since the arrival of Javier Milei to the Government and Sandra Pettovello to Capital Humano, that modality changed and the distribution of part of these foods is no longer outsourced through the picketers.The Ministry points out that direct transfers to the canteens “ensure greater transparency.” Pettovello's intention is to specify the number of people who attend the canteens , a fact that until now is unknown, because "mapping is being carried out." The objective is also to “improve the nutritional quality of the people who are assisted, especially that of the children.”
The amount of money used to assist those 9,080 soup kitchens varies. It depends “on the number of people who attend , the program to which they are enrolled and the number of days in which the soup kitchen is active,” Human Capital explains to this medium and highlights: “Some soup kitchens receive funds on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis.” .
Tension between the Government and the picketers due to lack of food delivery
What is the Feed Community Program ?, it was asked. They explained it like this: “It will be implemented in all registered canteens. It is a monetary transfer system to canteens, snack bars and social and community organizations that will obtain a physical and/or virtual prepaid card for exclusive use in the food sector to process and deliver in the canteens and/or snack bars to people in vulnerable situations. social".
In this way, they continued: “The aim is to replace the centralized purchases made by the former Ministry of Social Development of the Nation with decentralized purchases at the head of each dining room and/or picnic area, thus allowing each one to plan their purchases and improve quality. nutritional of the foods it offers .”
This system will only be incorporated into “a dining room and/or picnic area of a social or community organization that processes food in the establishment; to deliver food rations in the physical space and/or in food; that cares for people in situations of social vulnerability and who are not receiving assistance for food acquisition from the National Government .”
With this card, those in charge of the community kitchens will only be able to buy fresh and dry food according to the needs of the place; “Purchases of non-nutritive products, such as soft drinks or sweets, or equipment or instruments for the preparation of food and hygiene products, will not be validated.”
Pettovello had already mentioned that the main food policy of his administration is through the Card, a benefit that reaches directly the most vulnerable. The amounts they will receive in April will be the following:
-People who receive the Pregnancy Allowance: $44,000
-Families with one child: $44,000
-Families with two children: $69,000
-Families with three or more children: $91,000
Sandra Pettovello signed agreements with international organizations for "transparent" food bidding
New tenders
Sandra Pettovello's portfolio also explained that Human Capital "resumed public tenders for the purchase of food for the most vulnerable sectors." It did so through the regulations required by the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI). They also recalled that the previous tender “was a success” and that “ it marks a before and after in food policy and transparency in State procurement.”They specified that sixteen offers were presented from producers and distributors, large and small, including SMEs with prices lower than the witness values and “below market prices.”
An audit already published by this medium had revealed that in the Frente de Todos Government, surcharges of 300% had been paid, that very few bidders showed up, that the competitions were directed and that there was cartelization .
From Capital Humano they maintained in dialogue with Infobae : "The new form of contracting, allowing the partial bidding of items, achieved not only lower prices, allowing us to acquire more food within the same budget, but also established a precedent for transparency and efficiency in future tenders. With an estimated drop of 30% in witness prices,” officials highlighted, “funds were released to increase the amount of food purchased.”
Pettovello's portfolio ensures that the budget for these new food purchases is 53,000 million pesos and that they will be tied to the standards set by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) or the Organization of Ibero-American States ( OEI). Two international organizations that charge commissions, but ensure transparency in purchases, something that, according to Pettovello, was lacking in the previous administration.
