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Government Allocates 400 Million to 'Pla de Pobles' to Revitalize Small Municipalities

The initiative, resulting from a PSC-ERC agreement, aims to transform and address the challenges of towns with fewer residents and resources over the next four years.

Generic image of a Catalan village square with people gathered around a podium.
IA

Generic image of a Catalan village square with people gathered around a podium.

The Government has launched the 'Pla de Pobles 2026-2030', an initiative with a budget of 400 million euros to transform and respond to the challenges faced by Catalan municipalities with smaller populations and fewer resources.

This new initiative, a result of a budget agreement between the PSC and ERC, will be implemented over the next four years with the goal of revitalizing towns that often struggle with budget limitations, a lack of technical staff, and significant administrative burdens.
The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, announced the plan during the II Rural Municipalities Meeting, held in Vergós de Cervera (Segarra). The event was attended by mayors from rural municipalities and several members of the Catalan Government.
The 'Pla de Pobles' targets the 725 municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants (approximately 77% of Catalonia's total), as well as 65 decentralized municipal entities (EMDs) and 17 regional capitals with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants. Many of these urban centers have aging buildings in need of renovation.
The regulatory bases will be published at the end of this month, with the first call for projects scheduled for October. The selection of winning projects will be announced in April 2027.
Funding will focus on housing, environmental sustainability, accessibility in old town centers, and heritage preservation. Actions will be financed in streets, squares, mobility, lighting efficiency, conservation of heritage elements, rehabilitation of historic buildings, acquisition and renovation of housing for affordable rent, and the promotion of economic activity zones.
With an annual allocation of 100 million euros, the plan will be awarded through a simplified competitive bidding process. Project selection will consider the municipality's size, the territorial and social impact, technical quality, and feasibility.
Subsidies will range from 500,000 euros for municipalities and EMDs with fewer than 500 inhabitants to 6 million euros for regional capitals with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants. Smaller municipalities may receive up to 100% of the funding.
Salvador Illa noted that rural municipalities can apply for aid from both the 'Pla de Pobles' and the 'Pla de Barris', although the new plan is designed to facilitate access for smaller town halls.
Regarding the timing of project selection coinciding with the municipal election campaign, Illa stated: "So what? The world doesn't stop at all. You have the opportunity to design your future projects."

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