"In the fourth quarter, last quarter of the year, we initially planned (the budget) realization to reach Rp100 trillion, but as of now, we have disbursed Rp163 trillion," chief of the Task Force for National Economic Recovery Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated at the Presidential Office here on Wednesday.
The task force will expedite budget realization for the PEN program in the last two weeks of the year, he remarked.
Sadikin, concurrently the deputy minister of state enterprises, stated that the government had dispensed Rp387.24 trillion for the national economic recovery program comprising four clusters.
Budget absorption for social protection was the highest, at Rp217.16 trillion, followed by the program for micro-, small-, and medium-scale enterprises, at Rp106.25 trillion; ministries and institutions and local governments, Rp55.6 trillion; and corporate financing, Rp8.15 trillion.
"We are upbeat about disbursing the remaining budget faster, close to the initial target," Sadikin stated.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani had earlier stated that the various PEN programs are projected to boost economic recovery and bring it closer to zero percent, from the contraction of 3.49 percent in the third quarter.
If economic growth in the fourth quarter of this year approaches zero percent, there would be potential for improvement, so the economy can enter the positive zone next year, she pointed out.
"The contraction is now around three percent, and we are optimistic that in the fourth quarter, it would get closer to zero, so that in 2021, our economy will enter the positive zone or rebound quite strongly," she expounded.
Mulyani made assurance that the government would continue various economic recovery programs until 2021, including through the allocation of Rp550 trillion for education, Rp196 trillion for health, Rp400 trillion for social assistance, and Rp430 trillion for infrastructure. Related news: Realization of PEN budget reaches 63.3%
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Translator: Indra A Pribadi, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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