Hence, budget absorption must be really encouragedJakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin urged all governors, district heads, and mayors to rev up absorption of the budget for handling the COVID-19 pandemic in each region.
"Please pay attention, as stated by the minister of home affairs, as many of them still have low budget absorption for the handling of COVID-19. Hence, budget absorption must be really encouraged," the vice president noted in a statement received on Thursday.
Amin made the call while giving directions to East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, all district heads and mayors in East Java Province, and the COVID-19 Handling Task Force in East Java.
The vice president also called on local government officials to immediately streamline the population data, especially pertaining to data on the recipients of social assistance from the government.
On account of the still low distribution of social assistance to communities impacted by COVID-19 in East Java, the vice president urged Khofifah to support district heads and mayors to streamline the data of beneficiary communities.
"The low distribution of social assistance requires the support of the East Java provincial government to accelerate the process, through data improvement, especially pertaining to data on the completeness of citizenship identification numbers (NIK) from beneficiaries," the vice president expounded.
Amin also urged the East Java provincial government to bring about an improvement in the implementation of public activity restrictions (PPKM) of varying levels.
"Additional efforts are needed, so that the restrictions can be implemented in an even better way," the vice president stated.
Meanwhile, Khofifah reported that the case fatality rate (CFR) in East Java had declined, from 7.24 percent to 6.61 percent, while the number of active COVID-19 cases rose significantly, from 5.68 percent to 19.49 percent.
Khofifah attributed the rise in active cases partly to an increase in the number of tests, conducted five to six times daily.
"Starting last Monday, when there was an exponential rise due to an increase in testing of up to five to six times per day, the number of confirmed cases increased," she pointed out.
Khofifah stated that despite an increase in the number of active cases, the occupancy at the hospitals’ Intensive Care Unit (ICU) had not increased or was flat.
"Hospital occupancy rates, at both the ICU and ordinary isolation rooms, are relatively flat," she stated.
Related news: Govt raises health budget to Rp214.95 trillion
Related news: COVID handling, economic recovery budget to rise to Rp744 trillion
Related news: President calls for prompt disbursal of social aid
Translator: Fransiska, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
