Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) President Ekrem İmamoğlumade the third of its "10×10=100 Big Project" presentations with the title "Full speed ahead for a fairer Istanbul". In his presentation held at the İPA Pool within the Istanbul Planning Agency (İPA) campus in Florya, İmamoğlu shared with the public his projects on combating urban poverty in line with the understanding of populist municipalism.
Recalling the smear campaigns that took place during the 2019 local elections, Mayor İmamoğlu said, “What did they say: 'If İmamoğlu comes, social aid will be cut.' We cut only one thing: We cut off that dirty hose, that hose that transfers money from the public budget to a handful of people, certain foundations and associations, and established a populist system that is completely free of partisanship, respects citizens, and emphasizes social solidarity. We ended waste and brought service. Conclusion; We have increased social support and aid to an extent unprecedented in the history of Istanbul. Conclusion; "There were many new services offered to citizens for the first time in order to ensure social justice," he said.
"The people who paid the most for the government's mismanagement of the economy were our low-income citizens," said İmamoğlu, adding, "While the number of in-kind and cash support provided to citizens during the previous administration period was 357.742, we increased this number to 2023 in 2.292.797. In other words, we provided 6 times more support to citizens. "As poverty continues to deepen in our city, starting from 2024, we will support our citizens in need by increasing the amount of in-kind and cash social support to 600.000 households and the number of in-kind and cash support to 4 million."
During their 5-year term of office; Giving examples of the populist and public services they provide in different areas, from Halk Süt to Kent Restaurants, from nurseries with zero numbers to student dormitories, from free public transportation provided to mothers with babies aged 0-4 to Suspended Invoice, İmamoğlu said; He listed in 10 items what he will do in the new period in the fields of women, children, youth, low-income people, those in need, the disabled and education, social life, health and lifelong education.
"For example; "We will provide 10.000 TL annual market support per household to our retired citizens living on a single salary," said İmamoğlu, adding, "Due to high inflation, our retirees are worried even when buying bread. We will give households living with a single pension the right to buy 1 loaf of bread a day, free of charge, from Public Bread buffets. By opening 'IBB Mobile Soup Kitchens', we will distribute a total of 5 million meals, free of charge, to our citizens living on the streets or benefiting from IMM social aid in 75 years. We will offer 'Transportation Cash Support' to households living on a single minimum wage, and we will provide a total of 10.000 TL transportation support to one person in the household throughout the year. We will contribute to the family economy by providing annual market support of 10.000 TL to households living on a single minimum wage, as well as to our retirees. We will provide 5.000 TL cash support to the relatives of martyrs and veterans in order to support the families of our lives who protect us while performing their national duties. We will provide a one-time support of 5 thousand TL to a total of 100 thousand couples within 30 years, so that newly married couples can start their own homes. "We will provide support of 50.000 TL to 5.000 women with disabled children," he said.
“WE INCREASED THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDED TO OUR COUPLES IN 2024 TO 15.000 TL”
Emphasizing that the cost of setting up a house is increasing day by day, İmamoğlu said, “As Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we have always stood by our young couples so that they do not despair. We provided non-refundable support of 7.000 TL. In 2023, we supported 8.862 couples with a total of 60.774.000 TL. We increased the support we provide to our couples in 2024 to 15.000 TL. We continued to support our couples even after they got married. By implementing the 'Newborn Support' project, we have provided newborn support packages to 2021 households since 25.000. Aware that nutrition is a fundamental right, we provided more than 1 million 'Food and Hygiene Box Support' to our citizens of Istanbul who have difficulty accessing basic food products. We provided cash support 785.901 times. In 2024, we increased the monthly support amount provided with the 'Social Support Istanbul Card' to 1.000 TL. We continued to support our citizens during the Covid-19 epidemic, which poses a serious threat all over the world and in our country. "During this process, we distributed "Food and Hygiene Packages" to 555.722 families, supported "Shopping Cards" to 35.743 households, and distributed 40.218 tablets to children who did not have access to distance education by our municipality, so that the education process of children would not be disrupted," he said.
“When we announced our social support promises in 2019, those who tried to hold us accountable by asking 'Whose money are you distributing to whom?' "Today, they are busy copying those promises that we have fulfilled one by one," said İmamoğlu, adding: "You can copy our promises, but you cannot copy the sense of equality and justice within us. You cannot copy the love of people and country. You cannot copy our great and real love for Istanbul, untainted by neglect and betrayal. You cannot copy republicanism and populism. You cannot copy our commitment to Atatürk and his ideals, who said 'The Republic is especially the one of the orphans'. My answer to those who try to call me to account by asking 'Whose money are you distributing to whom?' has never changed: I distribute the people's money to the public; I will continue to distribute. Because I don't owe anything to anyone or any interest network. I only have a promise to serve the citizens and a commitment to equality and justice. "I owe only respect to the will of the nation," he said.
