Due to the serious negative population growth, several small towns in Italy have introduced incentive measures to attract migrants to settle in, and even pay out of their own pocket to give cash rewards to the settlers.
In the alpine town of locana in northwestern Italy, Giovanni Bruno matiette has promised 9000 euros (about 69000 yuan) in cash to families willing to move there, which will be settled over three years. However, only families with a minimum annual income of more than 6000 euros (46000 yuan) and at least one child can enjoy the preferential policy.
"As people go to work in large factories in Turin, our population has decreased from 7000 in the 1990s to less than 1500," CNN quoted Martie as saying. Because there are so few students, schools in the town are closed every year. I can't allow that to happen. "
"We want to attract young people and professionals who can work remotely here," he said. "We have dozens of closed stores, bars, restaurants and boutiques waiting for newcomers to operate."
The town of locana has a fiscal surplus due to the sale of hydropower to the rest of Italy. The town covers a total area of 132 square kilometers with picturesque scenery and fresh air, but the population growth is slow. The data show that there are an average of 40 deaths per year in locana, but only 10 are born.
Such scenes are not uncommon in rural Italy. According to CNN, a quarter of small villages and towns in Italy have become deserted "ghost cities" in the past 30 years due to negative population growth. Currently, there are 139 villages in Italy with less than 150 permanent residents.
The town of Meza Valley, north of the town of locana, near the Italian Swiss border, has only 320 residents. In order to attract the floating population to stay, the local government not only sells idle real estate such as wooden or stone cottages, barns, stables and farms with 1 euro (7.7 yuan), but also gives 1000 euro (7700 yuan) cash reward to local born newborns, and 2000 euro (15400 yuan) reward to those who start businesses and register to pay value-added tax. However, those who buy a property for 1 euro will have to renovate it within two years.
Andrea wingari, a professor of modern history at Italy's Free University of International Social Sciences, believes that although measures to attract permanent residents in Italy's small towns may work in the short term, they still need to take a long-term view to retain people.