Planalto rushes to get benefits for truck drivers and taxi drivers out of paper

With little time until the October elections, the government is trying to bring forward the payment of the boosted Auxílio Brasil to the first half of August and is rushing to get the scholarships for truck drivers and taxi drivers off paper.

In the official calendar, August payments only start on the 18th. The benefit floor will rise from R$ 400 to R$ 600. The idea defended by the Minister of Citizenship, Ronaldo Vieira Bento, is to pass the payment schedule of permanently to the beginning of the month. as showed the EstadãoBento wants to include another 2 million families in the program to eliminate the queue.

Despite the government’s haste, there are still many open questions — especially in relation to the databases to define the list of beneficiaries among truck drivers and taxi drivers.

How will truck drivers and taxi drivers be paid?

The Ministry of Labor was responsible for the task with support from the Ministry of Infrastructure. O Estadão found that there is no updated register and, therefore, the difficulties reported by the technicians have been enormous to meet the pressure of the political wing. The Minister of the Civil House, Ciro Nogueira, demands that the new aid be on the street on the 9th.

The Ministry of Labor stated that the registration to determine the taxi drivers who will receive the gasoline allowance was already described in the PEC. The text, however, still leaves this open, saying that the benefit “will be regulated by the Executive Power regarding the formation of the register”. What has already been defined is that drivers registered until May 31, 2022, with “permission document to provide the service issued by the municipal or district public power” will benefit.

In relation to the truck driver’s allowance, as anticipated by the Estadão, the government will use the National Registry of Road Cargo Carriers (RNTC). This base, however, has not been updated by the National Land Transport Agency since 2017 and does not require revalidation by drivers.

The National Confederation of Autonomous Transporters (CNTA) suggests that the aid be paid to truck drivers registered with the RNTC for more than six months and who have carried out at least one freight per month.

What does it take to pay benefits?

According to the Ministry of Economy, because they are new, the truck driver allowance, the taxi driver allowance and financial compensation still depend on regulation to guarantee free public transport for the elderly. The subsidy for the cost of ethanol depends on the approval of state laws. The government also needs to issue a provisional measure (MP) for an extraordinary credit (outside the spending ceiling).

The BRL 600 installments of Auxílio Brasil, the increase in the gas voucher and the Alimenta Brasil program, as they are already existing benefits, do not need regulation — and depend only on the MP.

Estadão Content