Emergency Response Fund of Rp. 4.3 Trillion Has Been Approved by Bappenas, Minister PU: It Just Needs to Be Synchronized with BNPB

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo ensures that the additional emergency disaster response budget in 2026 of Rp. 4.3 trillion has been approved by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

According to Dody, the budget was not disapproved, it just needed to be synchronized with the relevant parties.

"Actually, from Bappenas it has (been approved). However, it must be synchronized with the (Jitupasna) Post-disaster Needs Assessment (BNPB). This synchronization is a bit of a hiccup," said Dody when answering VOI's questions when he was met at his office, Friday, March 6.

However, Dody ensured that the emergency disaster response budget had been approved by Bappenas.

"But it's already, it's already, it's actually safe, if it's never too worried about the budget," he said.

It is known that the proposed additional emergency disaster response budget was originally part of the proposed allocation of disaster handling budget in Sumatra of Rp74 trillion for the next four years.

Dody said that the budget could increase to match the needs of handling damaged infrastructure in the three related provinces.

"Meanwhile, the time approved is Rp. 74 trillion. That is a temporary figure, yes, because this infrastructure must continue to increase," he explained.

In addition, continued Dody, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) will launch a transfer to the region (TKD) specifically for the three related provinces.

"So, it is possible, for example, that it will reduce the portion of the PU Ministry," he added.

Previously, Minister Dody admitted that the proposal for an additional allocation of emergency disaster response funds in 2026 of IDR 4.3 trillion had not received approval from the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

"The instructions from Bappenas at that time, because this is still an emergency response, just take it from BNPB, so it seems that in the quotation mark it is crossed out (from the proposal). This is still in the discussion stage, well we have not received any further instructions (regarding the proposal) of Rp. 4.3 trillion," said Dody in the DPR Coordination Meeting (Rakor) with the Post-disaster Recovery Task Force of Sumatra at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, February 18.

In fact, said Dody, his party is currently carrying out a number of projects from the proposed emergency response budget of IDR 4.3 trillion.

Therefore, Dody hopes that the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) can allocate special funds to cover the emergency fund budget of Rp. 4.3 trillion this year.

"Because, you know, you can't wait, sir. That (Rp4.3 trillion) doesn't have a position, lah, in quotation marks. I hope, sih, there is a special budget of Rp4.3 trillion," he said.

He emphasized that if the government did not disburse the proposed budget, it was feared that it would interfere with the implementation of other infrastructure development projects.

"So, if we have to eat from the inside (using other post budgets), it seems a bit difficult for us to do other work later," he explained.