President Jokowi Orders Ministries/Institutions to Complete 2021 State Budget Realization
President Jokowi leads a Plenary Cabinet Meeting, Wednesday (17/11), at the Presidential Office, Jakarta. (Photo by: PR/ Agung)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Wednesday (17/11) called on all Ministries/Institutions to focus on realization of the 2021 State Budget to bring great benefit for the people and economic recovery.
The budget can be spent on social protection programs, cash assistance for the Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and businesses, and COVID-19 handing measures.
“To date, hospitals have treated 713.9 thousand of [COVID-19] patients in which the fees will be paid by the state. We will also continue to provide incentives to 1.26 million medical workers in the capital and regions through the Regional Budget (APBD),” Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani said in a press statement after joining a Plenary Cabinet Meeting led by President Jokowi.
The Minister added that the Government through social protection programs will continue to provide the Aspiring Family Program (PKH), staple food package, and Cash Transfer Assistance for Villages to the people and will focus on eradication of extreme poverty.
“We will also support other programs including those implemented to address the issue of extreme poverty. In this regard, the President will lead a cabinet meeting to discuss the issue,” she said.
She went on to say that the budget will also be used to support priority programs including support for tourism sector. The Government will provide cash assistance to tourism business in which one beneficiary will receive Rp600,000 for three period.
“Target, requirements, and areas of the program will be determined by Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy,” she said adding that the cash assistance is projected to be disbursed by the end of this month or early next month considering the pandemic has serious impacts on tourism sector.
According to the Minister, the Government, by the end of this year, will also complete investment financing on State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) assigned by the Government to work on national strategic projects and fundamental infrastructure projects.
On that occasion, Sri also confirmed that the Government and central bank Bank Indonesia (BI) will continue to create a synergy to support national economic recovery this year and next year.
“Cooperation with the BI has eased the Government’s fiscal burden where Rp29 trillion of debt interest is saved per year. The condition is attributed to the issuance of a joint ministerial decree (SKB) between the BI and Ministry of Finance on support to COVID-19 handling-related programs,” she remarked. (TGH/UN) (RAS/MUR)
