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| Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) |
| Type | Public infrastructure initiative |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration |
| Area served | Brazil |
| Key people | José Dirceu, Antonio Palocci, Dilma Rousseff |
| Budget | Various |
Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) The Growth Acceleration Program was a large-scale Brazilian public investment initiative launched in 2007 under the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration to expand infrastructure, stimulate construction, and accelerate development across regions such as the North Region, Northeast Region, Southeast Region and Amazon. It coordinated ministries including the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Transport, and agencies like the BNDES, aiming to complement programs such as the Bolsa Família and projects tied to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. The initiative involved actors from the Workers' Party, state governments such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and private firms like Odebrecht and Camargo Corrêa.
The program emerged amid debates involving figures like Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Michel Temer, and Joaquim Barbosa about national development strategy, infrastructure deficits, and regional inequality, seeking to advance goals set out in policy frameworks influenced by international institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and United Nations Development Programme. Objectives included expanding transport networks tied to corridors like the BR-163 highway, increasing energy capacity through projects linked to Itaipu Dam and the Angra Nuclear Power Plant, improving water and sanitation in municipalities exemplified by Salvador, Bahia and Fortaleza, Ceará, and fostering housing programs resonant with Minha Casa, Minha Vida. The program aligned with broader agendas of administrations including Dilma Rousseff and interfaced with legislative instruments debated in the National Congress of Brazil.
PAC combined components spanning transport, energy, water, sanitation, housing, and social infrastructure implemented via federal ministries, state secretariats, and municipal agencies such as the São Paulo Metro and port authorities including Port of Santos. Major works included road upgrades on corridors connected to Port of Itaqui, expansion of hydroelectric schemes involving entities like Eletrobras, urban mass transit projects in cities including Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, and sanitation works executed with involvement from the Ministry of Cities (Brazil). Technical execution relied on procurement processes regulated by statutes debated in the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil) and adjudicated in part by the Federal Supreme Court (Brazil) on constitutional questions.
Eligibility for project financing typically required participating states, municipalities, and state-owned companies such as Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional to submit proposals to agencies like BNDES and the Brazilian Development Bank for evaluation against criteria established by the Presidency of Brazil and cabinet-level commissions including the Council of Economic and Social Development of Brazil. Enrollment procedures involved intergovernmental accords between governors from Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais, municipal mayors from cities like Manaus and Recife, and federal ministries, with prioritization influenced by political negotiation within parties such as the Brazilian Democratic Movement and trade associations representing conglomerates including Norberto Odebrecht S.A..
Governance combined executive coordination by the Presidency of Brazil with oversight from parliamentary committees in the Federal Senate (Brazil) and audit functions by the Federal Court of Accounts (Brazil), while project management frequently engaged state-owned enterprises like Petrobras and regulatory bodies such as the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels. Implementation involved contracts awarded to construction firms including Andrade Gutierrez and OAS (company), with scheduling and delivery monitored through interministerial working groups and advisory boards featuring technocrats influenced by research centers like the Getulio Vargas Foundation and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.
Financing drew on multiple channels including direct federal budget appropriations authorized by the Ministry of Finance (Brazil), long-term loans from BNDES, foreign credits negotiated with lenders such as the Inter-American Development Bank and sovereign arrangements involving countries like China, public-private partnerships under frameworks influenced by legislation debated in the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, and bonds issued in markets including the São Paulo Stock Exchange. Fiscal oversight and audit reviews referenced guidelines from the Central Bank of Brazil and harmonized accounting standards promoted by institutions such as the International Accounting Standards Board.
Assessments by universities and think tanks such as the University of São Paulo, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics examined indicators including transport capacity, energy generation, and access to water and sanitation across regions like Bahia and Pará, while multilateral organizations including the World Bank and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development produced evaluations noting mixed results in productivity gains, regional convergence, and job creation. High-profile project completions in cities like Fortaleza and port enhancements at Port of Santos were cited alongside delays exemplified by works linked to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, with longitudinal studies by groups such as IPEA and policy analysts at the Center for Strategic Studies and Management.
Critiques raised by journalists at outlets like Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo, and Estado de S. Paulo and investigations by prosecutors from the Federal Public Ministry (Brazil) and parliamentary inquiries in the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil) focused on cost overruns, procurement irregularities implicating firms including Odebrecht and Camargo Corrêa, and allegations intersecting with broader scandals involving Operation Car Wash. Legal scrutiny involved rulings from the Supreme Federal Court (Brazil) and enforcement actions by the Federal Police (Brazil), while policy commentators from institutions such as the Brazilian Institute of Economics debated effectiveness relative to alternative programs promoted by politicians like Fernando Haddad and economists associated with the Brazilian Development Bank.
Category:Public policy of Brazil