Purbaya: Rp5 Trillion Initial Budget Available for NTT Earthquake Response
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has affirmed the government’s readiness to support financing needs for earthquake disaster response in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). The financing support will be adjusted according to disaster response requirements and the recovery stages undertaken by the government. The minister conveyed this by telephone during a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Post-Disaster Task Force (Satgas Galapana) discussing earthquake response in NTT, chaired by Deputy Speaker Sari Yuliati on 16 August.
“To all members of the DPR present there, and to everyone attending this evening’s meeting, the Finance Minister is ready to assist with financing needs there in NTT,” the minister stated.
He explained that the government has prepared a financing mechanism for disaster response through the budget available at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). These funds serve as the initial source of financing in responding to disaster management needs.
“For the first stage, we usually use funds from BNPB that we have already prepared. There is still around Rp5 trillion if I am not mistaken. Some may have been used but it remains sufficient. Usually if it is insufficient, we top up the BNPB funds directly,” Purbaya explained.
According to the minister, disaster response is carried out in stages, beginning with emergency response using the prepared budget. Should financing needs increase, the government will adjust budget support to ensure disaster response can proceed.
“For disasters, it will come from BNPB first, and later if it is insufficient we will proceed with reconstruction. So there is no problem. For disasters there is a special reserve, sir,” he said.
The minister also added that the government has standby funds to support disaster response. The availability of these funds allows the government to provide financing responses according to needs on the ground.
“Indeed, on-call funds for every disaster response are already on standby,” he stressed.
Furthermore, the minister stated that financing support will be provided by considering disaster response needs as well as inter-agency coordination mechanisms. Specifically for the reconstruction of public facilities that cannot be financed through BNPB, implementation must be coordinated with the relevant ministries and agencies.
“We will adjust according to the needs. But if the public facilities cannot be handled through BNPB, coordination with the relevant ministry or agency is still required,” said the state treasurer.
With the financing support that has been prepared, the government ensures that disaster response and the recovery process for affected communities can continue in a coordinated manner between the central government, regional governments, BNPB, ministries and agencies, and other relevant parties.