President Jokowi: The 2021 State Budget Focuses On Four Things

President Jokowi (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo stated that the 2021 State Budget (APBN) will focus on four things.

"First, handling health. In terms of handling COVID-19, the main focus will be on vaccination," said President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Wednesday, November 25.

President Joko Widodo conveyed this during the submission of the Budget Implementation List (DIPA) and the 2021 Transfer to Regions and Village Fund Allocation List to ministers, heads of institutions and regional heads.

The handover was witnessed directly by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, Chairman of the DPR Puan Maharani, while the heads of institutions and regional heads attended the event via video conference.

"Therefore, a budget related to strengthening health infrastructure, such as laboratories, research and development, is very much needed," said Jokowi.

The second focus relates to social protection, especially for the less fortunate and vulnerable groups.

"Third, the economic recovery program, especially support for MSMEs and the business world," he said.

The fourth focus is to build a stronger foundation by carrying out structural reforms in both health education, social protection and other fields.

"In the 2021 APBN, the government allocates Rp2,750 trillion in expenditure, this is an increase of 0.4 percent compared to the expenditure allocation in the 2020 APBN," he added.

The allocation consists of ministerial / institutional expenditures amounting to Rp1,032 trillion, then for regional transfers and village funds amounting to Rp. 795.5 trillion.

"Of course we will use this expenditure allocation to support economic recovery and restore development priorities in various fields," said Jokowi.

Furthermore, the allocation for health sector expenditures worth Rp. 169.7 trillion, education sector Rp. 550 trillion, infrastructure development Rp. 417.17 trillion, social protection Rp. 408.8 trillion, food security Rp. 99 trillion, development of information technology Rp. 26 trillion.

"When the economy is still sluggish, government spending is the main driving force of our economy. Therefore, the 2021 State Budget must be spent immediately to drive our economy," he said.

President Jokowi asked all ministers, institutional leaders and regional heads to immediately spend their budget.

"Especially those with large budgets such as the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Agriculture and others who have large budgets, the regions will also conduct auctions as early as possible, this December," he said. .

The goal is to be able to move the Indonesian economy in the first quarter of 2021.

"This means that in January 2021 there has been a movement because the auction has been carried out since the DIPA was submitted, also social assistance in early January 2021 must also be immediately provided to beneficiaries to the community so that public spending increases, consumption increases so as to move the economy at the lower levels," said Jokowi.