Italy village paying Rs 25 lakh to encourage relocation, but with a Twist
The Italian region of Calabria has devised a unique plan to give Rs 25 lakh to individuals to relocate to its small villages.
In a bid to counteract declining populations, the Italian region of Calabria has devised a unique plan to offer €28,000 (approximately ₹25 lakh) to individuals willing to relocate to its small villages. However, there’s a catch—new residents are required to establish a small business, either a new venture or accept existing offers for specific professions in demand by these towns.
Applicants must be no older than 40 years and must be prepared to move to Calabria within 90 days following the approval of their application.
Gianluca Gallo, a regional councillor, revealed, “We’re honing the technical details, the exact monthly amount, and duration of the funds, and whether to include slightly larger villages with up to 3,000 residents.”
“We’ve had significant interest from villages, and hopefully, if this first scheme succeeds, more are likely to follow in the coming years,” he added.
This initiative, known as “active residency income,” aims to make Calabria more appealing for “south-work,” a tailored approach to remote work in southern Italy. Gianpietro Coppola, the mayor of Altomonte and one of the main supporters of this endeavor, explained its purpose.
Gianpietro Coppola shared his vision, stating, “We want this to be an experiment of social inclusion. Draw people to live in the region, enjoy the settings, and revitalize unused town locations such as conference halls and convents with high-speed internet. Uncertain tourism and the one euro houses are not the best ways to revamp Italy’s south.”
Calabria faces a concerning demographic trend, with over 75% of its towns having fewer than 5,000 residents in 2021. This situation raises fears that some of these communities could face the risk of depopulation in just a few years without regeneration efforts.
Ms Kalinga