Mamuju, W.Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The National Program for Rural Community Self-empowerment budget should be raised from two billion rupiah to three or four billion in 2012 for each sub-district, the people's welfare minister said.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said in his visit here on Sunday that the national program for rural community self-empowerment (PNPM-MP) budget for the least-developed areas should be raised in a bid to reduce poverty.
"One of the concepts we raised to reduce poverty in Indonesia is by increasing rural community self-empowerment annual budget especially for the least-developed regions including West Sulawesi," he said, adding that the present two million rupiah budget is not enough to expedite alleviating poverty.
According to him, the rural community self-empowerment budget which had been provided by the government so far had benefited the least-developed areas, however, if such budget is raised, the government will likely able to further reduce poverty.
"Effort to make the people live in welfare condition has become the goal of every program set by the government. So if the people have felt the benefit of this program, meaning that the program has optimally reached the development goal," Laksono said.
Although West Sulawesi could reduce the poverty
rate every year, there are still many poverty problems in the least-developed areas which should be overcome, the minister said.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said in his visit here on Sunday that the national program for rural community self-empowerment (PNPM-MP) budget for the least-developed areas should be raised in a bid to reduce poverty.
"One of the concepts we raised to reduce poverty in Indonesia is by increasing rural community self-empowerment annual budget especially for the least-developed regions including West Sulawesi," he said, adding that the present two million rupiah budget is not enough to expedite alleviating poverty.
According to him, the rural community self-empowerment budget which had been provided by the government so far had benefited the least-developed areas, however, if such budget is raised, the government will likely able to further reduce poverty.
"Effort to make the people live in welfare condition has become the goal of every program set by the government. So if the people have felt the benefit of this program, meaning that the program has optimally reached the development goal," Laksono said.
Although West Sulawesi could reduce the poverty
rate every year, there are still many poverty problems in the least-developed areas which should be overcome, the minister said.
The regional budget alone is not enough to accelerate the development of the least-developed areas, he added.
(H-NG/B003).