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Government nearly reached expenditure target in 2018: Minister
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Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (center), accompanied by taxation director general Robert Pakpahan (right), treasury director general Marwanto Harjowiryono (second right), Fiscal Policy Agency head Suahasil Nazara (left) and budgeting director general Askolani, interacts with the media before a briefing on the 2018 state budget in Jakarta on Jan. 2. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
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inance Minister Sri Mulyani has announced that the government managed to spend Rp 2.2 quadrillion (US$153.41 billion) or 99.2 percent of the total expenditure target of Rp 2.22 quadrillion stated in the 2018 state budget.
“The spending increased both from growth and absorption,” Sri Mulyani said in Jakarta recently.
She said central government spending reached Rp 1.44 quadrillion, or 99.3 percent of its target, while spending by regional administrations, including village funds, reached Rp 757.8 trillion, or 98.9 percent of the spending target.
Spending by ministries and other government institutions – which is part of central government spending – reached Rp 826.2 trillion, or 98.7 percent of the target.
It included Rp 5 trillion for the organization of the Asian Games and Rp 7 trillion for reconstruction projects in Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, which was hit by an earthquake, as well as in Palu and the surrounding areas, which were hit by an earthquake and tsunami.
Spending by the central government was also for the social safety net and to help the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) to cover its deficit because the cost of health care was much higher than revenue from premiums.
Sri Mulyani, however, admitted that capital expenditure only reached 90.7 percent of the target, or Rp 184.9 trillion. The ministry’s budgeting director general Askolani explained that some allocations could not be spent for several reasons, including land acquisition failure. (bbn)
