Integration of social programs would bring savings of R$185 billion in 10 years

A proposal defended by economists to reduce the federal government’s annual spending more immediately is to unify the registers of beneficiaries of social policies, which currently have a lot of overlap.

“Check who receives two, three, four or even five different benefits and change the eligibility criteria, putting an end to the possibility of accumulation”, suggests economist Gabriel Leal de Barros, former director of the Independent Fiscal Institution (IFI) and current partner from Ryo Asset.

“Today, with decentralized bases, there is a huge inefficiency in these expenses”, he says. “Unfortunately, the left prohibits this debate. If you propose a review, they curse you, they say you don’t like poor people,” she laments.

The integration and redesign of programs such as Bolsa Família, Farmácia Popular, family salary, maternity salary, closed season insurance, prisoner assistance and Continuous Payment Benefit (BPC) could yield tax savings of R$ 185.4 billion in ten years, calculates Barros. Between 2024 and 2026 alone, the gain would be R$49.1 billion.

“We could have a more effective social protection network and, with that, you would even save on administrative resources”, agrees Tiago Sbardelotto, from XP Investimentos.