Social Services target the poor

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has some 225,000 old people, 230 disabled children, 15,000 delinquent children and drug addicts, 31,000 prostitutes, 450,000 orphans, 48,300 isolated citizens and 202,300 poor families that require the government's care.

Or more precisely the attention of the Ministry of Social Services.

And they will get it despite shortages in government resources, according to ministry officials.

The handling of these disadvantaged groups will be the top priority for the ministry in the next five years.

Officials of the ministry, who are gathering here to hammer out the new five year program, have identified three priority areas.

Specifically, they are increasing social welfare for the aged, orphans and other unlucky citizens, developing rehabilitation programs for disabled children, narcotics addicts, beggars, prostitutes and ex-convicts, and they are promoting people's participation in the government sponsored social programs.

The ministry plans to launch a series of programs in these three areas in the coming years. According to officials, they have also made the ambitious decision to improve the quality of its services despite fund shortages.

"We have to set our priorities in the face of budget constraints," Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno said on Saturday after opening the meeting.

The ministry coordinates its service with other 4,100 social organizations, 23,000 village youth groups (Karang Taruna) and 62,000 social workers across the country.

The ministry has set 12 other programs to be carried out in cooperation with other ministries. They include relief for natural disasters, guidance for children and youth, augmentation of women's roles, and the improvement of housing and resettlement.

With their limited funds, Inten urged the social services staff to improve their services in terms of efficiency and quality. (prs)