Khofifah Prepares Priority Programs To Handle 1.7 Million Poor People In East Java

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa/East Java Provincial Government

SURABAYA - East Java Governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, has prepared a priority program to overcome extreme poverty in five regions in East Java. In total there are 1.7 million people or 4.4 percent of the approximately 40 million population of East Java.

"To accelerate the reduction of extreme poverty, the East Java Provincial Government has prepared three program strategies, namely reducing the burden of spending, increasing income and minimizing poverty enclaves", Khofifah said during a Coordination Meeting (Rakor) with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, virtually, Tuesday, September 28.

Five regions in East Java have become pilot projects or pilot national programs to accelerate extreme poverty alleviation, namely the districts of Bangkalan, Sumenep, Probolinggo, Bojonegoro, and Lamongan.

"This of course requires a convergence of funding from the central, provincial budgets, district/city budgets, and CSR. Of course, it must involve various cross-sectoral OPDs in the East Java Provincial Government", she said.

In addition, continued Khofifah, for the program in FY 2022, the East Java Provincial Government also proposed a program to reduce extreme poverty in East Java.

Namely through the electrification program, the Renovation of Decent Living Houses (Rutilahu), the Productive Economic Business Assistance Program for Joint Business Groups (KUBE), and the women's business empowerment program (Jatim PUSPA).

The East Java Provincial Government already has a best practice program that has been running so far. Such as PKH-Plus (Hope Family Program) with the target of the East Java community aged 70 years or more in the PKH program. The value of the assistance is IDR 2 million per person/year and is given in stages of IDR 500 thousand each.

Then the Empowered Village program with its recipients, namely independent villages for thematic village development. Also, the BUMDes (Regional owned enterprises) development program to increase capacity and capital. BPUM (Micro Business Productive Assistance) for micro-enterprises and strengthening village independence and progress.

"We hope of course with cooperation, collaboration, and good cooperation from all elements of government, stakeholders including the community. So efforts to accelerate zero percent extreme poverty eradication by the end of 2021, according to the target from the President, God willing, can be realized", she said.