Appreciation for Zero Stunting and Poverty Reduction
The Ministry of Home Affairs has presented an award to the Pekanlaru City Government for its success in reducing poverty and stunting rates. The award was presented by the Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, to the Mayor of Pekanbaru, Agung Nugroho, during the 2026 Regional Sumatra Outstanding Local Government Appreciation event held in Palembang on Saturday, 25 April 2026. The Pekanbaru City Government emerged as the winner in the Poverty Alleviation and Stunting Reduction category, receiving a fiscal incentive worth Rp 2 billion.
Mayor Agung stated that this achievement is the result of collaborative efforts between local government officials and the community. He explained that addressing stunting remains a top priority, driven through the sustainable ‘Zero Stunting’ programme. “This programme is our main focus to ensure there are no more stunting cases in Pekanbaru,” he said.
Throughout 2025, the Pekanbaru City Government deployed 3,500 Posyandu cadres at the sub-district level to actively monitor child development, provide nutritional education, and assist families at risk of stunting. According to the Mayor, these steps have effectively increased public awareness regarding early stunting prevention, while direct community interventions have accelerated the handling of identified cases.
Sulastri, the Chairperson of the Family Welfare Empowerment and Prosperity Team (TP PKK) of Pekanbaru and wife of Mayor Agung Nugroho, noted that stunting management must begin with accurate field data. She emphasised that the direct approach used in the Zero Stunting programme highlights the importance of verifying community conditions to ensure policies are precisely targeted. “The government strives to work from the bottom up, listening directly, and then moving swiftly,” said Sulastri.
To combat poverty, the Pekanbaru City Government has implemented various community empowerment programmes. The strategy focuses on ensuring that aid and basic services reach the intended recipients to improve the community’s standard of living.
Regarding the fiscal incentive, Mayor Agung Nugroho stated that the funds will be utilised to strengthen the sustainability of the Zero Stunting programme in Pekanbaru. He added that the award serves as motivation for all city government officials to continue improving public services.
Beyond the awards for stunting and poverty reduction, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian also praised Pekanbaru’s efforts in increasing Regional Original Income (PAD). “This is a concrete example of how regional heads can innovate to increase PAD. Pekanbaru is showing good progress,” said Minister Tito during the Declaration and Inauguration of the Council of Retired Regional Heads of Indonesia (Perpukadesi) for the 2026–2031 period on Monday, 4 May 2026.
The Pekanbaru City Government has boosted its PAD through the digitalisation of services, improving public accessibility, and implementing tangible programmes such as basic infrastructure repairs. These improvements have increased public satisfaction, leading to higher compliance with taxes and levies, alongside strengthened supervision to prevent revenue leakage. According to Tito, these steps are not only effective in increasing regional revenue but also reflect more modern and transparent governance.
The Director General of Regional Financial Management at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Agus Fatoni, explained that within one year, the Pekanbaru City Government was able to settle delayed payments that had persisted for over a decade. He noted that while the city experienced a budget deficit in 2024, the regional financial condition had shifted to a surplus by 2025.