Brazil: over a million irregular cases found in Bolsa Família program

The Ministry of Social and Agricultural Development found 1.136 million irregular cases in the Bolsa Família conditional cash transfer program. Of those, 469 thousand were canceled and 667 blocked. Users who had their allowances blocked are given three months to demonstrate they fulfill the requirements for taking part in the initiative in order to benefit from the plan again. The ministry also urged 1.4 million families to update personal data by January 2017.

The figures are a result of a screening initiated in June, which encompasses data from a number of countrywide databases.

According to Social and Agricultural Development Minister Osmar Terra, the funds saved after the termination of illicit allowances will be reinvested in the social area. Part of that money, he adds, will help bring new people to Bolsa Família.

“The number of social programs wasn't reduced at any moment. No order has been given by the government to reduce or end them. In June, as a matter of fact, we adjusted the budget earmarked for the Bolsa Família by 12.5%,” the minister said.

Screening

Users will be removed and blocked from the Bolsa Família because the government has identified that their income was above the value they had officially declared. The exception is the 13,000 members blocked because of data from the electoral court that listed members of the program as campaign donors above allowed values.

The government announced that, from now on, the benefits from Bolsa Família will go through a screening process every month. Another change is that possible irregularities will be analyzed before more benefits may be provided. According to Osmar Terra, already this month, the government shall announce a program to help the population assisted by the Bolsa Família program engage in economic activities.

The Bolsa Família aims at extremely poor (monthly income per person up to $25) and poor families (monthly income per person between $25.50 and $54). When joining the program, they receive financial aid and, in return, they agree to vaccinate their children and take them to school. Currently, about 13.9 million households receive the benefit.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta / Fabrício Ferreira