Monday, March 8, 2010
Government Allocates Rp 13.7T for Poverty Alleviation
Source: The Jakarta Post


The Indonesian government has prepared Rp 13.7 trillion (US$1.26 billion) in poverty alleviation funding for the Mandiri Community Empowerment National Program (PNPM Mandiri) in an attempt to further reduce the poverty rate this year.

"Up to this month the poverty rate has dropped by 13 percent, which has met our target," Deputy Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Sujana Royat said on Monday.

Royat said that the fund would reach poverty-stricken villages in 6,321 sub-districts throughout the country, with Rp 3 billion earmarked for each village.

However, 25 district administrations are refusing to participate due to the requirement that the Mandiri Community Empowerment National Program be implemented through a bottom-up approach.

As many as 13 countries worldwide, including the Philippines and Mongolia, have adopted similar poverty alleviation programs. (lnd)