PARANA MARKET TOWNS

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The Parana Market Towns Improvement Project will provide 287 market towns of less than 50,000 inhabitants each with infrastructure, public services, and social facilities and will strengthen their economic role and fiscal position. The main categories of investment will be street paving, storm drainage, water and electricity distribution, street lighting, sewage disposal facilities, slum upgrading, schools and kindergartens, health posts, community centers and sport grounds. Equipment will be purchased to improve and maintain farm-to-market roads and to expand local stone quarries; vehicles will be procured to convey children to school; and technical assistance will be extended, mainly by state corporations and utility companies. The project is likely to induce rural migrants to settle in these towns, instead of crowding into the larger centers.