"The principle of efficiency is not to interfere with public services," the minister, commonly known as Gus Ipul, said during a working meeting with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Thursday.
In addition, he assured that the budget for social assistance provided directly to the community, the operational expenses attached to social assistance, as well as employee salaries and honorariums for field assistants for the current fiscal year will not be reduced.
He also emphasized that efficiency would not compromise the quality of services and the work spirit of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Furthermore, the minister said that the 2025 budget allocation for the ministry amounts to Rp79.6 trillion, with Rp78.4 trillion allocated for the Social Protection Program and Rp1.2 trillion for the Management Support Program.
He said that the Social Protection Program consists of the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), while the Management Support Program covers salaries and allowances, supervision, and secretariat services.
He further said that the ministry's budget efficiency for 2025 amounts to Rp1.3 trillion, with a budget adjustment for reconstruction set at Rp970 billion.
"The difference in efficiency from the reconstruction budget adjustment is Rp356.8 billion,” he added.
He informed that the amount has been allocated for Social Rehabilitation Assistance for the purchase of goods, deployment of disaster relief officers, operational costs for empowering remote indigenous communities and social entrepreneurship, as well as maintenance of machinery, buildings, and capital expenditures for 66 work units.
"Furthermore, we ask for support from Commission VIII of DPR RI to ensure the proper implementation of social welfare programs," the minister said.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Primayanti
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