Pro-Transporte could release US$33.1mn for Pernambuco

The Brazilian federal government's urban public transport program Pro-Transporte could release up to 97mn reais (US$33.1mn) for Pernambuco state, state urban development secretary Terezinha Nunes said. Nunes said the government has already guaranteed to free 15mn reais to expand state capital Recife's integrated structural system (SEI) that entails building exclusive bus lanes and terminals. The cities ministry kicked off its 850mn reais Pro-Transporte in October, of which 250mn reais have been allocated for this year, with the remainder to be disbursed between 2004 and 2007. Municipalities, states or concessionaires interested in securing funds should submit requests to the ministry's national transport and urban mobility department. The program's goal is to increase quality and efficiency, and reduce rates, via public-private partnerships, with the aim of remedying public transport problems, in particular traffic congestion and the associated pollution in major metropolitan centers.