The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayusopresented this Thursday in Colmenar del Arroyo the two new offices of mobile banking and four of Attention Citizen 012 which will serve municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants and which are part of the 13 measures of the Pueblos con Vida program to promote territorial rebalancing and generational change.
The head of the regional Government recalled how since 2019 localities of less than 20,000 inhabitants increased their population by more than 44,000 people, and those that did not reached 2,500. “We believe in the rural world and in our cities which have continued to grow, with 7,300 new neighbors.”
In this sense, Ayuso has chosen to continue working so that all municipalities in Madrid, large and small, continue on this path. The president also explained that the regional executive has invested more than 3 million euros in those of 012, which allow you to carry out procedures such as submitting requests for information and guidance on programs or aid from the Community of Madrid, and procedures such as obtaining the Virtual Health Card.
These new vehicles will serve the 143 municipalities. So far, this aid is offered in towns with 1,400 to 20,000 inhabitants, with two minibus. However, from December 2, it will be extended especially to the 50 smallest municipalities, with an increase of 53%, and a weekly frequency for those with more than 500 neighbors and biweekly for those below. This measure should benefit more than 600,000 citizens, as Isabel Díaz Ayuso explains.
Banking devices
In the case of banking devices, the regional government signed a new collaboration agreement with CaixaBankwith an investment of 250,000 euros in 2025, so that small towns which do not benefit from this advantage can benefit from a personalized assistance and ATM.
In this sense, the incorporated units will carry out 29 routes with improved schedules and a weekly, biweekly or monthly frequency depending on each population, thus reaching a total of 69 locations. So far it stood at 44, an increase of 56.8%.
In this way, the most common operations can be carried out, among which cash withdrawalTHE income or the paying bills and taxesbenefiting more than 60,000 neighbors.
Cities full of life
Díaz Ayuso also spoke about the measures of the Pueblos con Vida program to establish and attract the population, promote economic development and tourism. Among them, he highlighted the improvement of access to housing with tax deductions for young people who buy or rent in municipalities with less than 2,500 inhabitants; or the development of Pharmacy Law which makes it easier for anyone under the age of 2,000 to have their own pharmacy.
Also aid for opening and maintenance rural and hotel trade and promote the Wine Routes of the Community of Madrid; the Cuídame program, which since 2022 aims to provide health care to towns with less than 250 inhabitants and to help combat loneliness among the elderly.
Finally, Ayuso also appreciated the effectiveness of the Empleabus which covers 78 municipalities and 72,000 inhabitants or the Plan Recovery of urban centers and historic complexes to improve the aesthetics of these enclaves and make them more beautiful and accessible.
