Aid too slow in reaching the poor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will meet with the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) soon to report over the slow realization of
\na multibillion-dollar social safety net program designed to help
\nthe poor in surviving the economic crisis, said the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board chairman Budiono.<\/p>\n
He said on Friday that Finance Minister Bambang Subianto would
\nrepresent the government at the meeting.<\/p>\n
In its latest letter of intent to the IMF, the government said
\nthat the realization of the social safety net program during the
\nfirst half of the current fiscal year was slower than expected,
\nprimarily due to worries over leaks and corruption.<\/p>\n
\"Progress was especially slow in implementing new initiatives
\nin health, education and employment generation,\" it said.<\/p>\n
The government, however, said that the development expenditure
\nwould be accelerated sharply during the second half of the fiscal
\nyear, which ends in March 1999.<\/p>\n
The government vowed that it would strengthen the monitoring
\nof the development spending by inviting university and non-
\ngovernmental organizations into the process.<\/p>\n
The social safety net program in the current budget amounts to
\n7.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Most of the US$14
\nbillion loan pledged by international donors this fiscal year are
\nused to support the program.<\/p>\n
The World Bank has repeatedly said that preventing program
\nfrom being abused was a precondition for future international
\nsupport to the country.<\/p>\n
Budiono declined to disclose the amount of money disbursed so
\nfar in helping the poor but a government official said that the
\nrealization was only 20 percent. (rei)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aid-too-slow-in-reaching-the-poor-1447893297",
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