At The End Of 2023, The Extreme Poverty Rate In Indonesia Is Estimated To Drop To 0.8 Percent

JAKARTA - The extreme poverty rate in Indonesia is estimated to fall to 0.9 to 0.8 percent by the end of 2023.

These calculations were put forward by the Deputy for Coordination for Social Welfare Improvement of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) Nunung Nuryantono.

"As of March 2023, it has reached 1.12 percent, hopefully by the end of this year it will be 0.8 or 0.9 percent," said Nunung Nuryantono, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, August 5.

Nunung conveyed this figure based on a roadmap in accordance with Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2022 concerning the Acceleration of the Elimination of Extreme Poverty, which targets extreme poverty in the country to be resolved or can reach zero percent by 2024.

"This figure is so that we don't rush because the target of 2024 for the national extreme poor is zero percent," said Nunung.

Nunung also said that based on the National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas), the extreme poverty rate as of September 2022 was 1.74 percent and through the same survey in March 2023, now the extreme poor figure has fallen to 1.12 percent.

According to Nunung, there are three major strategies in reducing extreme poverty. Namely reducing expenses, one of which is done through the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Direct Cash Assistance (BLT). Then increase people's income and reduce poverty bags by improving infrastructure and sanitation.

The Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT) as one of the state institutions that helps deal with extreme poverty has implemented the use of village funds to provide assistance to people who fall into the extreme poor category.

"The steps taken, starting with validating the data, then also encouraging the village government in managing the Village Fund to target more than three major strategies," said Director General of Village and Rural Development Sugito when contacted by ANTARA Saturday.

Sugito explained that in the use of village funds, the village government can allocate a maximum of 25 percent to be used as Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance (BLT DD).

In 2023, his party disbursed funds of Rp. 70 trillion which were distributed to 75,265 villages. According to him, villages have a central role in handling extreme poverty.

Di sisi lain, Direktur Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira menyampaikan target zero persen kemiskinan ekstrem pada tahun 2024 merupakan tantangan yang besar karena faktor akses infrastruktur di beberapa daerah.

"Because the locations occupied by the extreme poor are usually in remote villages and it is still difficult to access educational and health facilities," said Bhima when contacted on Saturday.

Therefore, Bhima assessed that the main thing in eradicating extreme poverty was the construction of connecting roads and other public facilities, making it easier for the government to distribute all forms of assistance.

"Lengage roads must be built first so that assistance, access to education and access to health can quickly enter and be felt by the extreme poor," concluded Bhima.