Environment, Forestry Ministry Allocates Rp1.01 T for Forest Community Affected by COVID-19
Forest Farmers. (Photo by: Ministry of Environment and Forestry)
Ministry of Environment and Forestry has allocated Rp1.01 trillion of budget to support national assistance programs for people living inside and around forest areas, particularly forest farmers and social forestry community, as well as forestry officers who are affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
The budget is taken from program refocusing and budget reallocation with support from the House of Representatives Commission IV. In a virtual meeting with the parliament (15/4), Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya told that the Ministry has made budget saving of around Rp1.58 trillion in the State Budget (APBN), so that the budget posture is revised from Rp9.32 trillion to Rp7.74 trillion.
The Minister went on to say that program refocusing and budget reallocation is implemented to follow up Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2020 on Acceleration of COVID-19 Mitigation and Presidential Regulation Number 54 on Revision of Posture and Details of the State Budget 2020.
“We also would like to express appreciation to the Chairperson and Members of the House of Representatives Commission IV for their cooperation on support to the Ministry in improving our performance, particularly during the pandemic,” Siti Nurbaya said in her statement on Thursday (16/4).
Before the Commission, she also delivered priorities in budget refocusing at the Ministry, such as: safety during the pandemic, sustainability of forestry-based industry, conservation and social forest, labor-intensive program, economic stimulation, public services, and the sustainability of the Ministry’s fostering groups namely the Masyarakat Peduli Api (Fire Awareness Community), and Conservation Partner.
“Budget taken from program refocusing will be allocated to increase people oriented activities, and to increase the economy of people affected by COVID-19” she added.
One of the programs is the purchase of products produced by the Forest Farmer Group for the Ministry’s employees in order to improve people’s purchasing power. In addition, the Ministry also procures supplement for immunity from Social Forestry Business Community that will be distributed to medical staff at COVID-19 referral hospitals.
Other refocusing programs are online/remote training for Social Forestry Business Community (KUPS) and for Social Forestry facilitators, economic assistance for KUPS, Forest Farmer Group facilitation, procurement of disinfectant spraying vehicle, establishment of Community Seed Garden, Village Seed Garden, and other labor-intensive programs.
In an effort to support the national priority programs, the Ministry will focus on poverty eradication by implementing agrarian reform and social forestry priority programs.
“We will also increase added-value for people’s economy, investment on real sectors, and improvement of labor productivity, as well as job creation,” the Minister said.
In a bid to prevent pollution and degradation of natural resources and environment, the Ministry also implements program to improve the quality, quantity, and accessibility of water, as well as improve the quality of environment.
“I would like to thank Chairperson and Members of the Commission IV for their inputs which I’ve noted. The Ministry will evaluate the details on program refocusing and budget reallocation in each echelon I division which will be submitted to the House of Representatives Commission IV to be reviewed in a Working Meeting on 20 April,” she explained.
In the meantime, Chairperson of the Commission IV Sudin reminded the Ministry to review the budget allocated for COVID-19 waste management infrastructure and facilities and pay close attention to forest and land fires since dry season is about to come. (Ministry of Environment and Forestry/EN)
Translated by : Rany Anjany S
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana
