The Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC) will have access to BRL 1.7 billion to fully recover the budget of the portfolio for the year 2017. With this transfer, MCTIC will be able to enjoy all the resources that were bound to Source 900 and that now integrate Source 188 - bound to the National Treasury. Thus, the amount will be available for commitment.   

The release of resources is the result of the request of the minister Gilberto Kassab to the federal government to make the payments of competence of the portfolio. The amount will be used to anticipate the payments with the scholarships of the months of January and February and administrative expenses of the ministry.

The speed in obtaining resources for the execution of the services and actions of MCTIC was a “tribute to the scientific community”, according to minister Gilberto Kassab.” The government is very clear that this portfolio has been treated very poorly in recent years”, he said.

The relocation is described in an ordinance of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Management, published on Monday (16) in the Official Gazette of the Federal Executive. The Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) will receive BRL 11 billion, from MCTIC, R$ 296 million and Social Organizations (OS) related to the ministry, such as the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) and RNP, will receive BRL 317 million.

Transparency

Source 900 does not ensure as to where the money would come from or when it would be made available, since it is a source conditioned by the availability of additional resources to those of the National Treasury. In order to avoid the paralysis of the services provided by the Ministry and related entities and give more security to the implementation of the budget, the amount was transferred to a source in group 100, bound to the National Treasury. According to Kassab, “the government is honoring its commitment to try to recover the industry budget ".

The MCTIC budget available for investment in science, technology and innovation this year (excluding personnel expenses and contingencies) is approximately BRL 6 billion, 25% higher than last year (in nominal terms, excluding inflation), according to calculation made by portfolio.

Photo credit: Ascom/MCTIC

Source: MCTIC