The first figures for the destruction caused by the wave which devastated a large part of Valencia on Tuesday October 29 are beginning to become clearer. The Generalitat Valenciana puts it at almost 12 billion euros. the damage caused in industrial sectors and in public educational centers and universities in the province of Valencia.
The Valencian Government quantified it during the first meetings between the Minister of Education, Culture, Universities and Employment, José Antonio Rovira, and the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Nuria Montes, with the Second Vice President of the Government and the Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz and the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Enterprise, Carlos Body, to activate the Employment and Business Commission created by DANA.
The two advisors transmitted to the respective ministers the most urgent needs and a summary of the damage estimates in each of the areas of competence assessed. at around 12 billion euros.
In the case of industrial sector, The first estimate from the department led by Montes indicates that the damage caused in the affected areas and commercial areas is estimated at more than 10 billion. Around 70% of this amount is concentrated exclusively in the 123 business parks and industrial zones concerned.
The Generalitat estimated economic activity in the affected area, which would reach more than 370,000 workers, including 68,000 self-employed. In addition, around 62,000 companies are counted. In the past hours, 16 Ertes have already been registered with companies in the damaged area.
This damage covers 65 municipalities (including the affected districts of the city of Valencia). According to estimates from the Generalitat, among these municipalities, in at least 32 localities, the damage caused can be considered serious or very important, due to their consequences in terms of loss of human lives, impact on large urbanized areas and the seriousness of the consequences. . on housing, infrastructure and services, with a strong impact on local economic activity.
The impact on educational centers
For his part, Minister of Education Rovira transferred to the minister the preliminary estimate of damage and emergency actions in the areas of responsibility of the Department, which amount to 1.873 million euros.
requested 250 million euros from the government for the implementation of an extraordinary training and employment plan in order to apply imminent measures for workers and businesses such as the automatic activation of ERTE for cause of force majeure for companies located in areas affected by DANA and the authorization of all possible legal instruments, such as exemption from company contributions and early receipt of unemployment benefits for salaried and self-employed workers.
The minister also asked Díaz that ERTE declarations can be declared ex officio in the area affected by DANA, whose affected municipalities will be included in the declaration of catastrophic or similar area made by the government.
Furthermore, the non-requirement of the waiting period for unemployment compensation, the non-consumption of the period of unemployment during the ERTE, the exemption from social contributions during the ERTE, the social security bonus of 100 % for workers were proposed (those not affected by the ERTE) of the said companies or the early payment of unemployment benefits at the beginning of November.
The battery of measures requested includes other initiatives of a less urgent but equally relevant nature, such as the automatic control of ERTEs during the following months, the improvement of social security contributions after the partial or total reactivation of the activity , as well as the tax exemptions and aid to the companies concerned and deductions from personal income tax for donations to the companies concerned.
As for self-employed workers, cessation of activity benefits include automatic activation, deferral of taxes and interest-free contributions, suspension of the second payment of 2023 income for the people concerned and the establishment of a ICO credit line. Likewise, urgent and direct aid of up to 6,000 euros is requested.
During the meeting, Rovira indicated that the damage suffered in around a hundred educational centers in the province amounted to 1.134 million euros and corresponds to losses of equipment and school transport, canteen service, bibliographic collections, electrical installations, extraordinary cleaning services and infrastructure.
Concerning Universities and higher arts education studies, the estimated damage exceeds 8 million euros. For its part, an initial assessment of damage to Culture, both in terms of cultural equipment, cultural industries and movable and immovable property, was estimated at 480 million euros, even if they will require a detailed assessment.
Finally, the government was also asked to extend the coverage of the insurance consortium and material recovery facilities that are not covered or not accepted by private insurance.
