Recognition of Popular Economy in National Development Plan

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The new National Development Plan – PND – brings a historic change to the country, where the strengthening of social justice and the guarantee of rights is privileged, especially seeking to recognize long-marginalized populations. Actors of the popular economy.

This development plan contemplates 5 transformative axes, I would like to mention axis number 2, “Human security and social justice”, in which structural changes in the social and economic policies of the country are mainly contemplated, the creation of structural instruments and the implementation of such policies in Colombia. It is pertinent to mention that this axis contemplates approximately 64% of the PND’s total budget.

It is important to highlight how this recognition is provided in the program through direct measures of the popular economy, cross-sectional measures by demographic level: women, the elderly, mothers who are heads of households, and farmers themselves.

As direct measures of the popular economy, PND creates through Art 74 National Council of Popular Economics As a consultative and advisory body made up of representatives of the popular economy such as national and regional government institutions and informal vendors. By this council, the lines of general policy of popular economy will be laid down, as well as “Inter-organizational measures necessary for recognition, protection, free association, strengthening popular economy. (PND Art.74).

Similarly, Article 75 lays down the general policy of decent and decent work with the objective of promoting employment and decent income and social security as the main axis. This policy should be directly articulated with the general policy on informal vendors.

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Another measure to strengthen the popular economy is the addition of finance and credit -Art.88- and this is one of the points that strongly strengthens this economy. They have the opportunity to get credit for the activity they undertake, which seeks to eliminate the exhausting debt, the scourge of “trickle down”, which has become a torture for the creators of the popular economy. With this funding strategy, options for borrowers, incentives for good repayment, technical assistance, financial education, characterization of the popular economy and credit profiling are contemplated.

Likewise, PND has a statistical information system for popular economics – Art. 90-, which will be the main input for the analysis of this economy in Colombia. This system is expressed with the National Economic Census – Art.95 – which seeks to obtain economic statistical information of the country to which the units that are part of the popular economy are included.

One of the most strategic issues to be addressed with the PND is the difficulty of social, community and popular economic organizations contracting with the state. Art 100 opens the door to procurement through public contracting and public-popular associations, where contracts can be made for social projects, housing, roads, culture, local production, basic health, care economy, goods and services. This makes it possible to improve the popular economy and, in turn, the regional economy.

In addition, this article indicates that associations will not only participate, but also receive all technical assistance required by DIAN to facilitate legal compliance with billing, necessary certifications and other requests. With these types of contracts.

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In relation to cross-cutting activities that seek to serve different demographic groups based on their age level and other conditions under which actors of the popular economy may participate, the following are actions.

Art 65 creates a transfer system that seeks to respond to the country’s social policies with key elements such as the provision of cash and in-kind transfers. Two programs are created in this system: “Citizen Income” – Art.66- Coordinating cash transfers for families in situations of poverty, extreme poverty and socioeconomic vulnerability, that seeks to overcome poverty and strengthen people and socioeconomics; and “Zero hunger”, as shifting resources to guarantee the right to food “…In population poverty and extreme poverty and vulnerability, the popular, community and solidarity economy prioritizes the participation of peasant agriculture. (PND Art.67).

Another of the strategic organizations created is the National Organization for Equality and Equality – Art.71-, to develop policies, plans, programs to eliminate regional economic, political and social inequalities and promote equal rights, especially family members in situations of poverty and extreme poverty in the population, women heads of families and the elderly. Such discrimination is shown.

It’s one of those empowering systems, but it recognizes women above all,”Women’s Undertaking Fund”, developed by At. For 73 “Promoting Autonomy, Economic Empowerment and Dignity of Work of Women” (PND Art.73). No less important was the creation of a national care system that seeks to recognize unpaid carers.

On the other hand, there is the element of recognizing and strengthening the national agricultural population. Therefore, through Article 51, the National Organization for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development is created to plan, coordinate, implement and monitor all activities undertaken within the framework of agrarian reform, to improve the quality of life and especially to improve ownership. Territory and Development of Farmers Livelihood Schemes.

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The system envisages 8 sub-systems: land acquisition, agrarian processes for land and agrarian reform, demarcation, constitution and integration of peasant reserves, rights and access to basic social services, peasants, family, social economy, own economy. and agricultural credit, among others.

Likewise, for the peasant population, the National Joint Commission for Peasant Affairs – Art.356 – was created as an example of dialogue and representation to take public policy decisions related to the peasant population and to gain their dignity and national recognition.

Finally, the PND, in its art 84, recognizes the unpaid care economy as a productive activity in the rural sector, with the aim of recognizing activities carried out within rural households and not recognized. It is understood by the said article that it is a productive activity to finance projects in the agriculture and rural development sector.

As can be seen, the national development project, “Colombia World Power”, brings a large element of social policy change, where the recognition and dignity of those peoples who have been historically violated and not taken into account in public policy decision-making, actors of the popular economy.

Likewise, the project is a starting point and opportunity to develop a nationally popular economy as part of the country’s own economy and one that promotes regional economic growth. This is a big step towards the dignity of this work and the vindication of the rights of its actors.

Alejandro Rivera Camaro, May 2023.

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