News / Polish leader urges EU to keep generous aid funds [32]

Well agricultural subsidies may not directly modernize poorer regions but often times they do help to keep the cost of living down by keeping foods cheaper. They can also promote job growth. Those things in turn can help "modernize" a city starting with the people by increasing their quality of living. I think it depends on how the sector receiving the subsidies choose to react to the help it's being given.