Govt proposes new poverty eradication programs for 2012
Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 06/01/2011 7:52 PM
The government announced on Wednesday plans to introduce new poverty eradication programs next year, specifically targeting to improve impoverished people's access to basic "assets needs".
Until now the government has implemented three types poverty reduction programs, and now wants to launch a fourth type of program, National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana said.
"In 2012 we want to introduce Cluster 4 programs, which will provide the poor with opportunities to obtain assets through subsidy mechanisms.
"The new programs are expected to help strengthen and expand our poverty eradication measures," Armida said as she addressed a meeting with the House of Representatives' budgetary body.
The meeting discussed the government's working plans for next year, which included among other things, preparations for the drafting of the 2012 state budget.
Armida said the new programs, some of which had already been introduced this year, included low-cost and very low-cost housing, low-cost public transport, and clean water programs.
Other programs included the low-cost electricity program, and special programs "to improve the lives of fishermen and urban poor".
Armida said the three existing poverty eradication program clusters included programs in the form of social aid; empowerment programs for the poor; and low interest-rate loans for micro, small and medium enterprises.
She explained that the new poverty eradication programs were among "new initiatives" highlighted in the government's working plans for the year 2012.
Others programs included measures to increase the production of "strategic commodities" such as rice; infrastructure developments to support inter-region connectivity; and development acceleration programs for Papua, West Papua and East Nusa Tenggara provinces, Armida said.
Rehabilitation and reconstruction activities for disaster-hit areas and the "revitalization" of the country's military weaponry and strategic industry were among other highlighted new initiatives.
