In the dawn of a electoral year that will be key for the future of the provinces, the governors go out to exhibit public works and contrast with the Nation’s chainsaw plan, which paralyzed numerous projects throughout the country. Housing, roads and highways, among other infrastructure, are part of the priority cocktail for the districts.
During 2024, spending on this item collapsed by 76.5% in real terms at the national level, being the items that suffered the greatest adjustment, according to the consulting firm Analytica. For its part, a survey by the Éforo foundation highlighted that the collapse of public works was 83% real in the same period.
In this framework, the request of the governors to include projects freed by the Casa Rosada in the Budget 2025 fell on deaf ears: Javier Milei decided to extend the “law of laws” that governed the last two years. Thus, the leaders negotiate unilaterally with the Nation or directly absorb the paralyzed initiatives with their own funds.
Governors rush public works and contrast with the Nation
Such is the case of Mendoza Alfredo Cornejowho in the middle of this month announced the reactivation of a housing complex in Tunuyán that had been cut short by decision of the national government. In the first stage, 144 houses will be built which, once completed, can be delivered to their beneficiaries.
“This was achieved in conjunction with the Municipality and the efforts of the provincial government to financially support the completion of the urbanization and infrastructure works that are needed so that the homes are finally enabled and can be delivered,” stood out since the Mendoza administration.
The man from Salta followed a similar path Gustavo Saenz. This week, the northerner announced the call for bids for the construction of the Lerma Valley highway, which will have an extension of 22 km connecting Cerrillos and El Carril and the storm drain channel. In the province, they indicated that the work will “largest of the Sáenz management.”
The president stated that, even with the country’s difficult economic situation, they sought “alternatives to fulfill this dream”. Previously, his administration had reactivated the works of 252 departments that were paralyzed by the Nation at the end of last year and that will now be financed with provincial funds. The project is already 74% complete.
In Santa Fe, meanwhile, the governor Maximiliano Pullaro signed at the beginning of the year the act of commissioning the construction of the third lane of the Rosario-Santa Fe Highway, with an investment of more than $41 billion. “No province, nor the national State, invested what Santa Fe invested last year in public works: US$500 million invested in the territory of Santa Fe. This year we are starting a year with great expectations, where we have between 1,500 and 1,600 million dollars to invest,” he mentioned.
This week, the Santa Fe administration also opened the tender for the purchase of 133,000 meters of pipes of different diameters that will be used for the first stage of the Gas Pipeline Plan for Development, which contemplates the construction of six of these infrastructures. A budget of $15,508,536,221 will be allocated. The first stage of work of the program was put out to tender last December, with an initial investment of $196,414,502,000 pesos.
NeuquenAt the same time, it will put out to tender eight technical schools in the first half of the year. Governor Rolando Figueroa specified that there will be 40,000 square meters of construction that will provide space for 6,000 students. In addition, the province will advance with the paving of various provincial routes. The next works to be put out to tender will be the Provincial Routes43 from Varvarco to Las Ovejas, 11 from Pehuenia to Moquehue, and 63 from the Siete Lagos route to Meliquina.
In mirror, the government of Saint John reported that it closed 2024 with more than 1,000 homes delivered. At the end of December, Governor Marcelo Orrego led the inauguration of the Usno and La Cieneguita aqueducts, which will serve to provide drinking water to the upper and lower part of San Agustín.
Meanwhile, in Cordovathe governor Martin Llaryora days ago supervised the progress in the construction work of the duplication of the roadway of Route 9 North and the new bridge over the Carnero River, which will have an impact on the towns of Juárez Celman, General Paz, Jesús María and Colonia Caroya, in the Columbus department. The work is currently 24% complete and is being carried out with an investment of 4,656 million pesos from the Government of Córdoba through the company Caminos de las Sierras.
Complaints against the national government
Separate paragraph deserves province of Buenos Aireswhere the governor Axel Kicillof uses public works as one of the main battering rams to contrast with the national government. In fact, its Minister of Infrastructure and Public Services, Gabriel Katopodis, toured the works on Provincial Route 40, between Marcos Paz and Merlo, this Thursday. “We do not believe in a State that withdraws and abandons us; but in a more efficient and orderly one that carries out public works,” said the Buenos Aires official.
In this regard, he recalled: “Governor Axel Kicillof is firm in his commitment to maintaining Public Works in each municipality of the Province.”
Following this trend, the president of La Rioja, Ricardo Quinteladenounced that the national government cut off the funds for the continuation of the work on the Chilecito Hospital, “an enormous commitment to prioritize the Public Health of our province.” “Once again, the lack of empathy, federal perspective and respect from the National Government ends up harming the people who need it most,” he pointed out.
“It is my duty to look after the interests of my province, but it is also the obligation of this National Government to guarantee the necessary resources for the truly necessary works. People’s health is not at stake,” concluded the northerner.
Source: Ambito
