BPS to update census for poverty eradication<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In an effort to improve the effectiveness of its poverty
\neradication programs, the government has commissioned the Central
\nStatistics Agency (BPS) to carry out a more comprehensive census
\nof the country's poor for this year.<\/p>\n
With the results of the census, the government expects to be
\nable to obtain a better understanding of the causes underlying
\npoverty in the country, so that it can then implement poverty
\neradication programs more effectively.<\/p>\n
"We have asked the BPS to do a thorough census of the poor
\ndown to the family and individual level, locating exactly where
\nthey are, and what is the nature of their poverty," State
\nMinister for National Development Planning Sri Mulyani Indrawati
\nsaid on Monday at the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
"We have allocated Rp 250 billion (US$26 million) for the
\nproject, and hope it can be finished as soon as possible --
\nhopefully by the end of the year."<\/p>\n
She said the census was important to create a more clear cut
\nand up-to-date database of the country's poor, which then can be
\nused to ensure that poverty alleviation funds are indeed
\ndisbursed to those who really need them.<\/p>\n
"Many have questioned our criteria in defining poverty, as
\nthere is still a disparity between the criteria from BPS and the
\nNational Family Planning Board (BKKBN)," she added.<\/p>\n
The government currently uses a mix of poverty criteria from
\nthe two agencies, combining the World Bank's definition of
\nextreme poverty as those earning less than US$2 a day, and other
\ncriteria such as a calorie intake of less than 2,100 calories a
\nday and families still living in houses that have a dirt floor.<\/p>\n
In its last annual poverty census in February last year, the
\nBPS reported that Indonesia's poverty rate as of 2004 stood at
\n16.7 percent of the population, or some 36.1 million people.<\/p>\n
The government is aiming to reduce the nation's poverty rate
\nto 8.2 percent in 2009 according to its medium term development
\nprogram (RPJM), with intermediate levels of 15 percent this year
\nand 13.3 percent in 2006.<\/p>\n
Public doubts over such targets have arisen since the
\ngovernment increased domestic fuel prices by an average of 29
\npercent in March, resulting in skyrocketing inflation of 8.81
\npercent that month, and more people finding it difficult to
\npurchase basic necessities. Several cases of severe malnutrition
\nhave recently been reported throughout the country.<\/p>\n
Mulyani acknowledged that such cases has made the government
\nreconsider its poverty eradication programs, as well as to look
\ninto ways to improve the regions' capacity to cope with such
\nproblems. "We will increase development funds provided for the
\nregions this year for that purpose."<\/p>\n
Besides the additional regional development funds and new
\npoverty census, she also said that the government would put more
\nemphasis on providing jobs and improving education and health
\nservices for the public.<\/p>\n
"To address poverty in the rural areas, we will particularly
\nfocus on providing labor-intensive infrastructure development
\nprojects," she said. "Meanwhile, in the cities, we will improve
\nthe services of community health centers."<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives is nearing an agreement with the
\ngovernment in allocating an additional Rp 10.5 trillion to
\nprovide free education for children of poor families and improve
\npublic health services for those affected by the fuel price hike.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bps-to-update-census-for-poverty-eradication-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}