Govt increases Jakarta budget to Rp 28.5t

JAKARTA: The Home Ministry has made corrections to the city budget and added Rp 580 billion (US$64.38 million) in
educational funds, bringing the total city budget to Rp 28.5 trillion.

“We will make amendments to the plan according to corrections from the ministry,” Governor Fauzi Bowo said
on Tuesday.

Now that the budget has been approved, he said the administration’s units can start working with their programs. The administration working units and task forces, both provincial and municipal, were expected to have submitted their financial plans by the end of the week.

The city’s Regional Finance Management Body (BPKD) head, Sukri Bey, said the Home Ministry has annulled and reduced a number of budget allocations and reallocated the funds to emergency post.

Included in the annulments were the purchases of new Lexus cars for VIP guests.

The city council had earlier proposed Rp 2.5 billion to buy the cars. The allocation is now categorized as “unexpected funds.” — JP