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Indonesia to address poverty, human resource issues in 2018
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo takes questions from reporters when visiting a training center in Bekasi, West Java, on Dec. 27, 2017. (JP/Anton Hermansyah)
T
he government has vowed to redouble efforts to eradicate poverty and develop human resources in 2018 through the disbursement of social aid and village funds as well as by expanding vocational training.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced on Wednesday that the government would begin disbursing the village funds and social assistance this month.
"I just got news from the Finance Minister that 20 percent of the Rp 60 trillion (US$4.2 billion) in village funds can be disbursed in January,” the President said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta as he opened the first Cabinet meeting of the year.
He stressed that the village funds should be disbursed immediately, so that the villages could start implementing their respective programs.
Last year, the government allocated Rp 47 trillion for the village funds programs. Sixty percent of that sum was distributed in April and the remaining 40 percent in August.
Meanwhile, to equip more job seekers with professional skills, Jokowi added, the government would intensify its training programs.
Certificates would be issued to program participants after they passed an evaluation test, Jokowi added.
Last year, 6,201 trainees took part in a profession competency program, 5,635 of whom received certificates.
"The certification program just started. We will expand the program based on the demand from industries," he said. (bbn)
