Sri Mulyani Will Cut Electricity Tariff Discounts, But How Come The Budget For Pre-work Cards Has Doubled?

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani said that the government will cut electricity tariff discounts given to several groups of people. The cuts are carried out in line with the projected economic growth which in 2021 is optimistic that it will increase.

"This is the goal if the economy has started to grow, then aid from the government will also start to be withdrawn," said Sri Mulyani in a virtual meeting with Commission XI of the DPR-RI, Wednesday, January 27.

Minister of Finance said, cutting electricity power 450 VA, discount rates will be cut, from 100 percent to 50 percent. Pruning will also be made for 900 VA power consumption, from 50 percent to 25 percent.

"This step is part of an effort to adjust the 2021 budget with a social protection budget of IDR 150 trillion from the previous IDR 220 trillion in 2020," he explained.

Sri Mulyani also said that the Pre-Work Card program budget doubled to Rp20 trillion compared to the initial 2021 APBN budget. The increase was made in accordance with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) 's instructions.

"Mr. President Joko Widodo decided that the pre-work program budget will be doubled from Rp. 10 trillion this year to make it equal to Rp. 20 trillion last year. So we add Rp. 10 trillion," said Sri Mulyani.

The source of the increase in the Pre-Work Card program budget comes from budget reallocation and refocusing in each Ministry / Agency.

For information, the total allocation of funds for the acceleration of national economic recovery (PEN) is Rp. 553.1 trillion. This amount is lower than the realization for the 2020 period which amounted to IDR 579.8 trillion.