PUPR Receives The Largest Budget In Draft State Budget 2021, Shifting Prabowo's Leadership Ministry

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani revealed that there are 10 ministries / institutions with the largest expenditure budgets for next year based on the draft 2021 national revenue and expenditure budget (APBN).

The first position is occupied by the Ministry of PUPR led by Basuki Hadimuljono, who succeeded in displacing the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) led by Prabowo Subianto, which this year has the largest budget. The PUPR Ministry's budget is from IDR 75.6 trillion in 2020 to IDR 149.8 trillion next year.

"KL spending has an important role in economic recovery and improving social and health conditions. The Ministry of PUPR will win next year's budget increase to Rp149.8 trillion," he said at a press conference on the Financial Notes and 2021 State Budget Bill, Friday, August 14.

The government, said Sri Mulyani, is not without reason to give a large budget to the PUPR Ministry. This year, the budget for the Ministry of PUPR has experienced a lot of cuts. So that next year it requires a large budget in carrying out infrastructure development.

"We see that in 2019 Rp. 100 trillion this year will be cut to Rp. 75.6 trillion and for that next year's compensation for programs that have been delayed will be pursued next year," he explained.

Then, the Ministry of Defense from Rp. 117.9 trillion to Rp. 137 trillion. Polri from Rp. 92.8 to Rp. 12 trillion. Ministry of Social Affairs from IDR 104.4 trillion to IDR 92.8 trillion.

"The Ministry of Social Affairs fell but not too sharply. Maybe only the recipient groups were sharpened with more updated data," he said.

The next ministry is that the Ministry of Health will experience a sharp increase from this year's IDR78.5 trillion, next year's IDR84.3 trillion.

"Then the Ministry of Education and Culture will also increase quite sharply in 2019 to IDR 34.5 trillion, a twofold increase in 2020 and IDR 81.5 trillion next year. The Ministry of Religion will also increase from IDR 42.4 trillion to IDR 67 trillion," he said.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Transportation also experienced an increase from Rp. 32.7 trillion to Rp. 45.7 trillion. "The Ministry of Finance includes the oil palm BLU, because the B20 program and including the LPDP management fund reached Rp. 43.3 trillion and the Ministry of Agriculture Rp. 21.8 trillion from Rp. 14 trillion for food estate," he said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo said that the infrastructure budget of Rp.414 trillion was used to improve the availability and function of the infrastructure itself. He said, the COVID-19 pandemic shows digital infrastructure is very important and strategic.

Furthermore, Jokowi said that the Development of Communication and Information Technology (ICT) in 2021 with a budget of Rp. 30.5 trillion including through TKDD is focused on accelerating digital transformation for government administration.

Jokowi said that with this budget the government is committed to realizing efficient and fast public services, such as in the fields of education, health and governance; consolidating and optimizing shared infrastructure and services.

The budget will also be used to realize community inclusion in priority development areas and promote equality with additional internet access in around 4,000 villages and sub-districts in 3T areas.

"Thus, infrastructure spending is directed at strengthening digital infrastructure and encouraging logistical efficiency and connectivity, labor-intensive infrastructure that supports industrial and tourism areas," he said, in a speech delivering the government's statement on the Draft Law on the 2021 Fiscal Year State Budget and its financial notes, at the Parliament Complex, Friday, August 14.

In addition, Jokowi said that the construction of public health facilities and the provision of basic necessities, such as water, sanitation and housing must also be carried out. This is what makes the infrastructure budget bigger than the health budget in the 2021 APBN.