Enormous Interest on the Szolnok Stage of New Széchenyi Plan's National Tour 2011. február 24.
The New Széchenyi Plan was introduced in Szolnok. The event was held at the College of Szolnok. At the event on 3 February experts of the National Development Agency introduced the new system of tendering and the possibilities it offers.
In his opening speech Dr. András Sziráki, President of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Chamber of Commerce and Industry spoke about the major economic indicators of the county and the tender results of the area, which were both below national average. He emphasized that this would have to be changed in the future.
Sándor Kovács, President of the General Assembly of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County said that they would start infrastructure development projects that small and medium enterprises had to tender for to profit from, as the launch of Hungarian economic growth depended on these tenders and the awarded funds.
Zoltán Petykó, President of the National Development Agency (NFÜ) talked about the main economic indicators of past years, and said that the goals set by the previous government regarding growth and employment, were not reached. After this he introduced the strategic goals behind the New Széchenyi Plan. Listing the New Széchenyi Plan's breakout points (health industry, green economy development, science and innovation, business development, employment, transport development) he emphasized that Hungary could become a major player in innovation.
Ignác Siba, Head of the Managing Authority for Economic Development Operative Programme (GOP) said that each project of each program had to include an employment increase element. He introduced tenders of technology development and R&D, and the combined micro-credit product. He expressed his hope that using these financial instruments such sources could be opened for SMEs that had not been available before.
New schemes of the Social Renewal Operational Programme (SROP) were introduced by Dr. Tamás Palicz. The Head of the Managing Authority of Human Resource Programmes (HEP) started his speech with the introduction of the two non-interoperable Operative Programmes (TÁMOP and TIOP) financed from two funds, and the development areas they covered. After this he introduced five TÁMOP tenders to the participants regarding business development, employment, and science and innovation.
Tenders for regions were covered by Róbert Nagy, Deputy Head of Department of the Managing Authority of Regional Operational Programmes (ROP). He drew attention to three numbers: 400 billion, 100 billion and 25 billion. The first figure indicates the sources that can be used by convergence regions in the following period, 100 billion of which is dedicated to the North Great Plain Region; from 1 March sources of another 25 billion will be opened for tenders in the area. The remaining sources will be opened later this year. From the budget of the region more than HUF 48 billion is available for economic and tourism development.
Dr. Anikó Szilvia Nagy, deputy head of department said that the disconnected and overcomplicated tendering system was replaced by a single and streamlined process after the parallel structures were terminated and the system was accelerated. Evaluation criteria would be measurable and objective.
Contributing partners of the national tour are the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the National Association of Entrepreneurs.