Ranks of the poor hit 49.5 million

Ranks of the poor hit 49.5 million

JAKARTA (JP): The number of poor in the country increased by
almost 100 percent to 49.5 million in 1998 from 22.6 million in
1997, the government said, blaming the prolonged economic crisis.

A. Mongid, an assistant to the coordinating minister for
people's welfare and poverty eradication, said according to the
newest survey conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics
(BPS), the number of poor reached more than 49.5 million.

The national survey was conducted in 1998 but its results will
only be announced to the public in the near future.

Mongid said the number of poor decreased to 22.5 million in
1996 from 25.9 million in 1993.

He said according to the survey, the most affected by the
crisis were inhabitants of slums in urban centers and those
living in thousands of underdeveloped villages and fishing
communities on coastal areas.

"The government is designing short-term and crash programs to
empower the poor so they can survive the crisis," he said after a
coordination meeting presided over by Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Hayono Suyono on
Thursday.

Also attending the meeting were Coordinating Minister for
Political Affairs and Security Feisal Tanjung and 18 ministers.

Mongid said the meeting's results would be brought to the
governors meeting on Friday so appropriate measures could be
prepared.

Results of the governors meeting will be brought to the
Cabinet meeting scheduled for July 14.

Suyono said after the coordination meeting, the government was
designing a crash program to empower 1.5 million poor families
living in slum areas in 20 provinces.

"This program will absorb between Rp 3 trillion and Rp 5
trillion," he said, citing that Rp 1 trillion was provided by the
Ministry of Public Works. (rms)