Six Regional Governments in Kalimantan Receive Fiscal Incentives for Successfully Tackling Poverty and Reducing Stunting
The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has granted fiscal incentives to six regional governments (pemda) that have successfully tackled poverty and reduced stunting rates. The incentives were presented at the Appreciation for High-Achieving Regional Governments 2026 Kalimantan Regional Event in Balikpapan on Tuesday, 5 May 2026.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya, representing Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, awarded Rp 3 billion for First Place, Rp 2 billion for Second Place, and Rp 1 billion for Third Place. For poverty alleviation and stunting reduction, appreciation at the provincial level went to South Kalimantan for First Place. At the regency level, Tapin (First Place), Lamandau (Second Place), and Hulu Sungai Selatan (Third Place) were recognised. For cities, Banjar Baru (First Place) and Palangka Raya (Second Place) received awards.
Minister Tito Karnavian stated that nationally, poverty rates have declined to around 8.25% in 2025. “This indicates the success of various social protection and economic empowerment programmes. However, the data also shows that this decline remains vulnerable to global economic shocks, particularly rises in food and energy prices.”
Therefore, Tito continued, the successful regional governments are those that have integrated social assistance with productive economic empowerment programmes. The synergy between central government policies in planning and budgeting, along with local innovations in poverty handling, is the key factor in this success, according to Tito.
According to Tito, stunting reduction also shows significant progress in various regions, consistently dropping from 21.5% in 2023 to 19.8% in 2024. “This indicates that we are on track to meet the national target of around 14% by 2029.”
This success, he added, is inseparable from the implementation of Presidential Regulation No. 72 of 2021 on Accelerating Stunting Reduction, which emphasises cross-sectoral convergence. Tito said that successful regional governments generally integrate nutrition interventions, sanitation, and family education simultaneously.
“The impact is not only on health but also on long-term human resource quality. This is a strategic investment for the nation’s competitiveness in the future,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Tapin Regent Yamani said that 13 flagship programmes focused on community welfare enabled Tapin to successfully tackle poverty and address stunting. The Tapin Regency Government, he said, has significantly reduced the poverty rate to 2.91% in 2025 from 3.33% in 2024. Tapin Regency’s Human Development Index (IPM) in 2025 is 74.98, falling into the high category.
Head of the Tapin Regency Planning, Research, and Development Agency (Bappelitbang), Meidy Harris Prayoga, said that receiving this national appreciation, the fiscal incentive will be used for poverty alleviation and stunting reduction programmes. “Because poverty and stunting are closely linked, we will return it to the needs of the Tapin community,” he stated.
Hulu Sungai Selatan Regent Syafrudin Noor said that efforts to tackle poverty and reduce stunting in his region are based on previous experience as Deputy Regent of Hulu Sungai Selatan from 2018 to 2023. According to him, at that time, there was no vocational training centre in Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency.
“That is why, upon taking office, I immediately built a BLK. In the meantime, I provided training activities for the youth in Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, one of which was heavy equipment operator training, and for women, sewing and making traditional cakes,” he said.
The making of traditional cakes was then modernised with the same ingredients and capital. This has increased community income. “The impact is that the community benefits, income rises, and unemployment and poverty decrease,” said Syafrudin.
In efforts to reduce stunting, Syafrudin provides blood-boosting tablets to adolescents in Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency. In addition, his administration also pays attention to the health of pregnant women.
Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency not only controls stunting in individuals but also in the environment. One of them is by building MCK (bathing, washing, and toilet facilities).
Looking ahead, Syafrudin continues to strive to improve the welfare of the Hulu Sungai Selatan community. He also welcomes this award with joy.