25.10.2021
THE RESOURCE FOR TRAININGS FOR DIGITAL SKILLS UNDER HRDP HAS BEEN INCREASED (2021-2027)
The resource provided for trainings for acquisition and improvement of digital skills under the Human Resources Development Program (2021-2027) has been increased. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Ivan Krastev during a meeting of the Thematic Working Group for Development of HRDP and the Program for Food and Basic Material Assistance for the programming period 2021-2027. The resource that will be focused on training for digital skills, amounts to nearly BGN 400 million. "We are approaching the wishes of the social partners to ensure a digital transition in which no one will be abandoned," said the Deputy Minister. He reminded that the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability envisages an ambitious volume of activities, as over BGN 350 million will be directed to trainings for acquiring basic competencies in digital behavior.
The total budget of the HRDP (2021-2027) is BGN 3.8 billion. For various measures related to youth employment, nearly BGN 680 million will be directed. The access of unemployed and inactive people will be facilitated by operations whose budget for the coming years is over BGN 678 million. Nearly BGN 1.4 billion have been allocated for social inclusion, and the measures include the deinstitutionalization of care for the elderly in Bulgaria and ensuring affordable social services for vulnerable groups.
More than 55,000 members of marginalized communities, such as the Roma, are expected to be covered by various measures to comprehensively support equality, inclusion and participation in education and employment, as well as access to housing and health care. The budget for measures for integration of marginalized communities amounts to BGN 187 million.
Caring for children in need is another important priority in the implementation of the HRDP (2021-2027). By participating in the implementation of the European Child Guarantee, more than 41,000 children will be included in services for early childhood development, access to healthcare and adequate housing. Over BGN 81.6 million of the European Child Guarantee will be directed to measures to reduce the risk of poverty for children by 26.6%. Guarantee measures will also be implemented by the Education Support Program and in the school education system.
The draft Food and Basic Material Support Program for the next programming period was also presented to the members of the Thematic Working Group. "The project aims to identify the most needy people, to identify their needs, to direct them to the appropriate support, but also to monitor the results at the level of a specific needy person," said Anna Angelova, Head of Programming and Selection Operations in the Social Assistance Agency. People in need will be able to count on material and food assistance, which will include food, hot lunch and hygiene products. More than 10,000 newborns living in at-risk, poor or under-cared environments will receive health care packages. With funds from the Food Program, a total of 10,000 children aged 10 months to 3 years will also receive food from the Children's Kitchen. The budget of the Food and Basic Material Support Program will amount to about BGN 412 million.
Deputy Minister Ivan Krastev stated that according to the European Commission, the Operational Program for Food and Additional Material Incentives (2014-2020) is the best implemented program in the entire European Union in terms of efficiency, financial implementation and the best effect on targets. groups. According to him, in preparing the new program for the period 2021-2027, the Managing Authority has managed to expand the scope of the Food Program and include innovative activities for the EU that will help us get out of the simple distribution of food once or twice in the year.
The HRDP and Food program draftts for the next programming period were sent to the European Commission at the end of last week. "We are literally on the final straight. Our main ambition is to provide the fastest and highest quality access to funding for a wide range of beneficiaries, because most often this funding changes lives," said the Deputy Minister.
