The ministry has a greater responsibility to alleviate poverty for the people who are below the poverty line.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono has said that his ministry is continuing to focus on supporting poverty alleviation and stunting reduction programs in Indonesia.

"Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has stated that poverty alleviation cannot be done only with social aids, but it definitely needs the availability of clean water and sanitation at houses," he remarked at the commemoration of National Housing Day here on Wednesday.

Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS) should be provided in areas under the Human Development Minister's jurisdiction for poverty and stunting alleviation, he added.

At the meeting with the House of Representatives on Thursday (August 26, 2021), programs such as Community-Based Drinking Water and Sanitation Provision (Pamsimas), and Community-Based Sanitation (Sanimas) will be presented, so that BSPS can focus on the two programs, he added.

"I hope that the younger generation (who works in) the Housing Ministry can follow the mindset and policies for housing. As housing is not only about housings built by developers," he remarked.

“The ministry has a greater responsibility to alleviate poverty for the people who are below the poverty line,” Hadimuljono said.

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He also reiterated that there are still many categories of people whose housing needs are being fulfilled through the state budget, in contrast with those who are getting support from housing financing liquidity facilities (FLPP) that benefit low-income communities.

"Do not forget it is part of our concern, whether it is for the construction of the flats. If the housings come from banks and developers, I am not worried because they want to improve the quality of the buildings to serve the community better in the future," he remarked.

Earlier, the ministry had said that it will continue to encourage the implementation of the One Million Houses Program to offer decent housing to the public.

"The One Million Houses Program will continue to be encouraged, so that Indonesian people have decent houses," Director of Housing Financing at the ministry's Directorate General of Infrastructure Financing Haryo Bekti Martoyoedo noted during an online seminar here.

According to Martoyoedo, the ministry is currently running the program, which is one of the government's priority programs for fulfilling major projects, as set out in the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), through infrastructure and housing development for the community.

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Translator: M Alatas, Kenzu T
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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