Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér has decided on the disbursement of HUF 3.5 billion, to be spent by 207 local governments on investments related to their operations.

According to a summary on the Government’s website on Monday, HUF 2 billion has been allocated for the development and renovation of institutions performing statutory tasks, with a maximum possible amount  of HUF 30 million per settlement. Calls have been announced for the development of crèches and kindergartens, for the renovation of buildings housing primary healthcare institutions (e.g. general practitioners and paediatricians) and local government offices.

The call for the upgrading of urban roads, sidewalks and bridges totals HUF 1 billion, with a maximum of HUF 15 million available per settlement.

A further half billion forints has been allocated for infrastructure development, renovation and establishment of sports facilities in kindergartens and schools. In this case the maximum amount available to a local government is HUF 20 million.

By the deadline of 9 June, 2,563 local governments filed their applications online, and following review by the Treasury, 2,515 applications have been forwarded to the Ministry of Interior. The settlements involved have applied for a combined total of HUF 55.3 billion.

Throughout the selection process, projects also aiming to reduce maintenance costs have been given priority. For sports developments, for example, this meant that projects were favoured which provide a wider selection of sports activities or improve access to them for disabled people.

Twenty-five projects were rejected by the Minister of Interior due to errors of content or form, while requests from 2,283 local governments were placed on a reserve list due to lack of funds. The 207 local government which have been awarded funding have received an average of HUF 17 million for their developments.

(Ministry of Interior/MTI)