"Data integrity is substantial to realize program complexity," Deputy Governor of Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria noted while opening the coordination meeting of Poverty Mitigation Coordination Team at the Jakarta City Hall, on Thursday.
This integrated data will become a data source and update the population prosperity status as well as program history.
To this end, integration of the underprivileged population data becomes important in planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
"We need to ensure that all poverty mitigation programs in Jakarta can be effective in reducing the poverty rate and improving people's prosperity in Jakarta," he remarked.
The deputy governor highlighted that the poverty rate in Jakarta from 2017 to 2019 has declined consistently.
However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the poverty rate in Jakarta increased to 502 thousand, or 4.69 percent of Jakarta's total population, based on the National Social Economic Survey (Susenas) in March 2022.
This increase is even more noticeable if it is compared to the position in September 2021 wherein the number of poor in Jakarta reached 498.29 thousand people.
"That figure is the highest within the last 19 years," he said.
On average, the poverty rate in Jakarta stood at 3.84 percent within the last 19 years, he added.
Observing the national poverty rate, President Joko Widodo issued the Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2022 on Extreme Poverty Reduction Acceleration (PPKE).
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This instruction mandates government officials to take actions for PPKE by ensuring the accuracy and integration of programs between ministries or institutions by involving the public.
Despite the setback, Patria is optimistic that Jakarta's positive economic growth offers a major opportunity in reducing the poverty rate.
He recorded that in the second quarter of 2022, the province's economy grew 5.59 percent, or higher as compared to the previous quarter, with 4.62 percent.
Meanwhile, Jakarta's economic recovery is supported by the people's activity, as the booster vaccination program continues as well as the commemoration of major religious days.
With this condition, he believes that Jakarta's economy in 2022 is projected to continue to recover to 5.3 to 6.1 percent annually.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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