"It is impossible for digitalization (to exist) without development of its supporting infrastructure. Hence, from 2020, (that is) during pandemic, every ministry's budget had been cut. Only the budgets of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry and Health Ministry were not cut," the minister stated during a webinar, 2022 National Finance Economic Festival, which was accessed here on Monday.
During the period from 2020 to 2022, funding for the Communication and Information Technology Ministry increased, from Rp20 trillion to Rp26 trillion and to Rp27 trillion in order to meet the needs for digital infrastructure development.
"(This was) not only for the eastern parts of Indonesia but also for many regions in Indonesia where digital infrastructure was still underdeveloped," Indrawati added.
Indonesia has around 84 thousand villages, more than 250 thousand schools, and 10 public health centers that must be integrated with the digital network in order to better facilitate the government's aid for people.
The minister confirmed that funding will be allocated to public health centers akin to the school operational funding, which was done by using names, addresses, and school account numbers.
Currently, the government was also developing an application that would allow schools to purchase educational facilities with the school operational funding, thereby making it easier for headmasters or principals when they had to make reports of accountability.
"Thus, for public health centers, the Health Ministry is currently attempting to initiate digitalization, so the transfer of government funding for the public health centers' operational fundings was expected to be (received either via) public health centers, via the address, and via account number," Minister Indrawati elaborated.
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Translator: Sanya D S, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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