Rural development projects approved

Fourteen projects worth €9.4 million centred around rural development and the creation of tourism infrastructure in villages have been approved, it was announced by Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides on Wednesday.

“The projects will be carried out in the framework of the Rural Development Program, with the use of funds from the European Union. We think they will significantly contribute to rural development,” he said.

Petrides informed the cabinet that 42 applications were submitted and 14 projects were approved, based on the budget allowed.

According to the minister, the projects include a tourist information centre in Trachypedoula worth €500,000, a regional agricultural training centre in Paphos region worth €8 million, €500,000 centre for environmental education in Kilani worth, and a multidisciplinary space in Agros costing €600,000. Other plans are for a tourist information centre in Moutoulas, the conversion of Metochi Kykkou into a cultural centre, and other works in Lefkara, Platanistasa, Kato Drys, Sotira, Korakou, Spilia and Zygi.

These projects have been approved for 2014-2020, while other programs from the national budget are being prepared for the new period.

“Many more funds are available for similar or other infrastructure projects in communities, municipalities and the countryside,” Petrides said, adding that “hundreds of millions have been allocated in recent years to support the countryside for projects that have never been done and had to be done, even when the state’s finances were much better than they are today.”

The budget originally available was € 7.4 million, but it was increased due to high demand.

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