SEMARANG - West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah together with a number of department heads met with Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo to learn about accelerating poverty reduction.
The meeting between the two regional heads at the provincial level took place at the Gradhika Bhakti Praja Building, the Central Java Governor's Office complex in Semarang, Thursday, January 27.
"We came to Central Java to meet Pak Ganjar because we saw the many achievements that Central Java had made in various ways. That's why we came here to learn, one of which is related to poverty alleviation," Mahyeldi said as quoted by Antara.
According to him, the poverty rate in West Sumatra increased sharply when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so quick steps were needed to overcome it and he saw that the Central Java Provincial Government had taken quick actions to solve the problem of poverty.
"In Central Java, Mr. Ganjar has done many things, empowering SOEs through his CSR, Baznas, mobilizing OPD to jointly overcome poverty. This is certainly a new experience for us that can be applied in West Sumatra," he said.
In addition, he said, the Central Java Provincial Government has achieved many achievements, particularly related to poverty alleviation, so he thinks it is not wrong if the West Sumatra Provincial Government comes to Central Java to learn about it.
"Mr. Ganjar's success is a reflection of us to build West Sumatra to be even better, moreover he is already a senior, already in his second term as governor. I'm only a year old, so I have a lot to learn," he said.
Meanwhile, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said that the issue of poverty had indeed become a scourge for every regional head during the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Central Java, where the poverty rate rose sharply in the September 2019 period.
"The Vice President came to Central Java some time ago and asked us to solve extreme poverty in just three months. There are five districts that have become pilot projects, and from the center they were only given a top up of Rp. 300 thousand. there are clean water, electricity and other facilities that must be fulfilled as indicators," he said.
For this reason, his party is boosting poverty alleviation with various programs, including the rehabilitation of uninhabitable houses, the provision of clean water facilities, latrines, electricity and others.
"We can't just use the APBD, that's why we optimize CSR, National Development Planning and philanthropy. In Central Java, we require one OPD to accompany one fostered village and solve poverty there," he said.
Apart from that, other programs are also being boosted, such as making free educational facilities for poor students with the Central Java Vocational School because with the increase in education, it is hoped that poor children can improve the economic life of their families.
"We also provide assistance to MSMEs, the development of tourist villages to stimulate the rural economy and other activities. The point is that solving poverty is not just one factor, but many factors that must be worked on together," said Ganjar.
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