Local Governments Can Use Unexpected Budgets To Handle Floods

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian. (Photo: Ministry of Home Affairs)

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian said the local government could use the unexpected expenditure budget (BTT) and the remaining budget for the current year budget (SILPA) to mitigate disasters including floods that occurred in several areas.

"Local governments can use the Unexpected Expenditure Budget (BTT) which has already been budgeted for in their respective local governments and can also spend from the remaining funds more budget financing or SILPA. There are several regions whose SILPA is quite high or significant," said Karnavian Tito. at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, Friday 3 January.

Tito conveyed this in a joint press conference with the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Social Affairs Julari Batubara and Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto. The five of them had just attended a closed meeting with President Joko Widodo, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, National Police Chief General Idham Azis and TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto at the Merdeka Palace.

"From experience, BTT West Java and Banten are relatively small. For that I ask the central ranks to help. In DKI Jakarta BTT Rp. 233 billion, in West Java Rp. 25 billion, in Banten it is Rp. 45 billion. SILPA, "added Tito.

Apart from BTT, Tito said disaster-affected areas can also use SILPA. "I think the West Java and DKI Jakarta SILPA are quite large. I think my colleagues can access their data online. Now, SILPA can be used in an emergency status and can be used quickly to help the affected community," said Tito.

However, for SILPA disbursement, DPRD approval is required. "Only assistance from the DPRD is left because the use of SILPA must be approved by the respective DPRD. Please help the DPRD to also understand the situation of the community to facilitate this process. Don't let it take too long. Maybe one day is enough and after that it can be disbursed and used for emergency response purposes. the community is waiting for, "added Tito.

Especially for DKI Jakarta, Tito assessed that the provincial government should use BTT worth Rp 233 billion first. "If the Rp233 billion must be an emergency first, then it can be disbursed or used. But I think the SILPA is possible but it must be approved by the DPRD. That's why I ask my friends at the DPRD to process it quickly, not to take long administration. People are waiting for us, waiting for a helping hand. from the government, "said Tito.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, according to Tito, also provides services for population data and civil registration (dukcapil). "Because there is a network of the Ministry of Home Affairs' Directorate General of Dukcapil in regencies and cities, I have instructed the director general to help the community as much as possible so that it is easy for the public to retrieve cards or population data such as ID cards, marriage books, birth certificates, and others as soon as possible. check the areas where the dukcapil readiness is so that it will be easier for the public to obtain these important documents, "explained Tito.

According to data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the number of casualties due to flooding in Jabodetabek and Lebak, Banten, reached 43 people. Meanwhile, the number of residents affected by floods and landslides in the Greater Jakarta area and its surroundings reached 409 thousand people, with the city of Bekasi being the largest at 366,274 people.