President Jokowi Eyes to Reduce Extreme Poverty to Zero Percent in 2024

President Jokowi, Vice President and Cabinet Secretary in a Limited Meeting, Wednesday (4/3), at the President’s Office, Jakarta. (Photo by: Jay/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo calls for accelerated poverty alleviation to be carried out in a consolidated and integrated manner.

“We know that based on Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data, we have managed to reduce poverty rate from 11.22% in 2015 to 9.22% in September 2019. This below 10 percent figure is great achievement, but our big work is not over yet,” the President said in his introduction in a limited meeting on Strategy to Accelerate Poverty Alleviation, Wednesday (4/3), at the President’s Office, Jakarta.

According to the President, there are still 24.7 million people who live below the poverty line. Therefore, we need to work harder and more focused to help them free from poverty.

Based on global poverty rate standard by the World Bank, the President continued, as many as 9.91 million people are still living below the extreme poverty line or accounting for 3,371 percent of Indonesia’s total population.

“We must focus on the population who are extremely poor. Therefore, we need accurate data regarding the poor people and their location, so the program can meet the set target. We hope that we can reduce extreme poverty to zero percent in 2024,” the President said.

On that occasion, the President said that currently interventions from ministries or institutions from the program side are also all targeted, both related to the National Health Insurance (JKN), the Healthy Indonesia Card (KIS), the Family Hope Program (PKH), Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), and groceries card.

“What about the intervention from the program side to generate income for the poor, be it the microcredit program (KUR), Mekaar (Membina Ekonomi Keluarga Sejahtera – fostering the economy of the prosperous family), Micro Endowments Bank, Village Funds, ultra micro financing (UMi)? I think everything can be targeted there,” the President said.

The Head of State also reminded about poverty alleviation through State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

“Also relating to SOEs and the private sector. There is a BUMN-PKBL (SOEs assistance program) and the CSR, all of which must be directed to meet the set target. If we really can do it in a consolidated manner, I am sure we will be able to meet the target of zero percent,” the President said. (FID/EN)

Translator: Muhardi

Reviewed by: Mia Medyana Bonaedi