Agriculture Programs and Village Fund should able to Make People Prosperous

President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla as well as Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung discuss an issue on the sidelines of a Limited Meeting, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (25/7) afternoon (Photo: Jay/PR)

After leading Limited Meeting on High Speed Train Progress, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo accompanied by Vice President Jusuf Kalla continued to lead Limited Meeting on the Development of the Implementation of Poverty Reduction Program at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (25/7) afternoon.

In his introductory remarks, President Jokowi asked to maintain the stability of the price of basic needs. In addition, the policy that could boost price increase must be well calculated because if the price of basic needs increases, it means living cost of unverprivileged people is also rising.

”Farmers and construction laborers’ income is no longer sufficient,” the President said.

The President wanted that the programs in agriculture as well as micro, small and medium enterprises sectors, and distribution of Village Fund can reach the bottom 40 percent.

The President firmly said that the programs must focus on increasing income as well as purchasing power of poor households who work in agriculture and informal sectors. “I want the subsidy program at the Ministry of Agriculture to be on target and can make them prosperous,” the President explained.

According to the President, the Government has allocated Village Fund. Three years ago, it was Rp20 trillion, last year Rp47 trillion, and this year Rp60 trillion.” This fund should also bring prosperity for underprivileged people,” the President asked.

In addition, social assistance, including Smart Indonesia Card (KIP), Healthy Indonesia Card (KIS), Aspiring Family Program (PKH), and affordable rice, must be distributed right on target and on time so it can decrease the burder of the poor. The data used for the distribution must be the latest one and accurate so it will be on target.

“I would like to remind to make changes in data collection and distribution systems,” the President said while adding that one of reforms in social assistance is to apply non cash food assistance system to reduce leakage in distribution and to ensure that the assistance is on target.

The Limited Meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of National Development Planning Agency Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya, Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Minister of Villages, Underdeveloped Regions, and TransportationEko Putra Sandjojo, Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Manpower Hanif Dakhiri, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, Head of BPS (Statistics Indonesia) Suhariyanto, and Head of Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) Ardan Adiperdana, and other officials.

(RAH/SM/JAY/ES) (MMB/YM/Naster)