Pangkalpinang, wapresri.go.id – The Government continues its efforts to tackle extreme poverty in all regions of the country. The issuance of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 4 of 2022 on Acceleration of Extreme Poverty Alleviation is a coordinated policy to accelerate the eradication of extreme poverty in Indonesia by targeting zero percent in 2024.

“The Presidential Instruction aims at accelerating (poverty alleviation) since we are committed to reducing the extreme poverty rate to zero percent by 2024,” Vice President Ma’ruf Amin said in a press conference after opening the 2022 International Halal Congress at the Novotel Bangka Ballroom, Novotel Hotel and Convention Center, Pangkalan Baru, Bangka Belitung, Tuesday (14/06/2022).

Furthermore, the Vice President said that the government had set a target to eliminate extreme poverty in 35 regencies in 2021 and 212 regencies/municipalities in 2022.

“Therefore, we have accelerated the alleviation of extreme poverty in 35 regencies, and this year to more than 200 districts, and the rest will be conducted in 2023-2024,” he said.

One of the urgent tasks to carry out, said the Vice President, is data validation which is coordinated by Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs and the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

“Those who are categorized as extremely poor will be listed by name and address in detail, and the data process continues to be refined,” he explained.

In addition, the government still continues to provide various social assistance and people empowerment programs.

“To provide social protection to the people, (the government) also carries out economic empowerment programs administered by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs,” he said.

Lastly, the Vice President stated that as the Head of the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction, he must now coordinate all ministries to collaborate and support each other in order to avoid overlapping programs.

According to him, through this collaboration and mutual support, the budget for the programs in each ministry will be converged accordingly.

“The work program of each ministry shall not overlap. So, the converged fund allocation could yield a positive result,” he concluded.

Accompanying the Vice President at this press conference, Acting Governor of Bangka Belitung Ridwan Djamaluddin and Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council Marsudi Syuhud. (EP/DMA/LHS-BPMI Setwapres)