Sections
Highlight
Sections
Highlight
Malaga's Diputación provincial council will allocate one million euros to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as self-employed people, affected by the 'Dana' storms which hit Malaga province in late October and mid-November.
Diputación president Francisco Salado made the announcement during a meeting requested by the Socialists to address various issues just a month after the storms put Malaga on red alert.
This aid, the terms and conditions of which will be published in the next few days, will be granted on a non-competitive basis and will be earmarked for investment expenditure. The distribution will be made equally according to the number of applications approved, with a maximum of 20,000 euros each.
Salado said the aim of this initiative is to "contribute to the reactivation of businesses and accelerate the return to normality as soon as possible", and added that the one million euros could be extended to reach a maximum number of beneficiaries. Salado pointed out "the commitment and speed" of the provincial council in implementing economic aid to alleviate the damage caused by the 'Dana' storms.
The announcement followed debate on a Socialist motion, later withdrawn, which called for an extraordinary plan from the Diputación to help the municipalities affected by the 'Dana'. There were moments of tension between the Socialists with Partido Popular and Vox during the debate.
Salado said the motion should not have come to the meeting; María del Carmen Martínez of the Partido Popular described the initiative as "populism", while spokesman for Vox Antonio Luna accused the Socialists of "trying to make political capital out of natural tragedies".
Socialist member José Bernal denied the accusations and justified the presentation of the motion in the need for the Diputación to "be more than ever at the side of the municipalities" that are left to repair infrastructures damaged by the storms.
The announced aid to small businesses and the self-employed is in addition to the million euros the provincial council approved on 20 November for direct subsidies to families affected by the floods of 29 and 30 October and 13 November to cover basic needs, supplies and rents or for furniture, repairs and works to damaged housing. Salado said that applications are already being processed for payment.
The provincial authority has also earmarked 3.3 million euros for the repair of 50 roads affected by the storms in the Guadalhorce Valley, Axarquia and Serrania de Ronda.
The Diputación has also committed to contribute financially to the municipalities to restore damaged infrastructures in line with the aid granted by the central government and the Junta de Andalucía. Salado already announced that the first municipal economic assistance plan (PAEM) of 2025 will be dedicated to this and pointed out the "commendable work" of the mayors of the affected municipalities, who "have worked tirelessly so that their municipalities and their residents can begin to recover normality".
Salado also pointed out the work carried out by members of the provincial fire consortium (CPB) both in the province and in Valencia and the provincial council's collaboration with Malaga Airport to ensure the transfer of passengers to different parts of the province as transport services were interrupted.
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Sigues a Antonio M. Romero. Gestiona tus autores en Mis intereses.
Contenido guardado. Encuéntralo en tu área personal.
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Necesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.