Advertisements
The Bolsa Família program, since the beginning of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (PT) government, has seen 2.9 million benefits canceled. The current government’s social team announced that it would conduct a detailed review of the records, arguing that many beneficiaries no longer meet the established criteria.
This measure aimed to make the program more efficient and targeted at families in vulnerable situations.
Advertisements
The exclusive survey and the cuts to Bolsa Família
An exclusive survey conducted by the newspaper Metrópoles revealed that, since the beginning of Lula’s government, 2.9 million Bolsa Família registrations had been canceled. The Ministry of Social Development (MDS) itself confirmed these figures through an official document.
Furthermore, the cuts intensified with the introduction of Auxílio Brasil, an initiative of Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) administration, which opened up the possibility of new groups joining the income transfer program.
In December 2022, Bolsa Família served 21.6 million families. This expansion of the program led to the review and cancellation of benefits, in order to direct resources to those who need them most.
Who is subject to benefit cuts?
However, the MDS justifies the cuts as a way to ensure that the benefit reaches families who truly need it. The groups subject to cancellation include:
- Families with monthly household income above the enrollment limit, which is R$ 218 per family member;
- Families with monthly income above the limit established by the protection rule, which keeps the group with a 50% reduction in payment, with a limit of R$ 606 per person;
- Beneficiaries who provided false information or omitted data in the Cadastro Único;
- Children and adolescents who are out of school or whose attendance is below the indicated level;
- Pregnant women who are not receiving prenatal care according to the program's guidelines.
Image: MIDAS/ Publicity/ Agência Brasil
