Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno is optimistic about reducing poverty by 1 percent by the end of his term.  

Even though Jakarta has the lowest poverty rate among the provinces, the current rate of 3.77 percent has been stagnant for years, Sandiaga said.

“The 1 percent reduction is so challenging. However, we should set a stretch target,” Sandiaga said during a meeting with the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K) in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, on Thursday according to a press statement.

Sandiaga added that he hoped his key programs, such as the One District One Center of Entrepreneurship (OK OCE) program and Jakarta Smart Card Plus program, could increase residents’ income and reduce the poverty rate.

Apart from that, Sandiaga said he would try to maintain the stability of residents’ living costs.

Social agency head Masrokhan said the administration would continue the Collective Enterprise Group (Kube), the Productive Economic Enterprise (UEP) and Hopeful Family (PKH) programs to accelerate poverty reduction.

According to the agency’s integrated data, there are 309,959 poor families in Jakarta, 212,948 of which have been covered in non-cash food aid.

Some 90,000 families had yet to be covered by the program, Masrokhan said.