Nunukan, N Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - The government, through the Ministry of Social Affairs, has allocated funds worth Rp16 billion for the Family of Hope Program in North Kalimantan Province.

North Kalimantan Governor Irianto Lambrie noted in a written statement here on Tuesday that the funds, allocated from the state budget every year, had a positive impact on the economic welfare of the poor people in Indonesias youngest province.

The governor said the funds for the Family of Hope Program are expected to alleviate poverty for 8,511 beneficiary families in the province of North Kalimantan.

"The funds must be used for meeting the basic needs and not for unimportant purposes," the governor said.

In the meantime, Social Affairs Office Chief of North Kalimantan Sugiono said the central governments program for North Kalimantan aims to boost the development of local human resources.

North Kalimantan is part of the countrys region that directly shares its borders with neighboring Malaysia and is expected to catch up with the economies of other provinces in Kalimantan Island.

The province has abundant potentials that must be utilized for the benefit of all people, according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

President Jokowi believed several things need to be improved in developing North Kalimantan. For instance, economic growth in the province was only 3.75 percent, and the growth was indeed influenced by a fluctuation in the prices of commodities, particularly of mining commodities in the global market.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017