The recognition makes Tapin the only district in Kalimantan to receive the prestigious national award this year.
Tapin District Head H. Yamani said in Rantau on Tuesday that the award would be presented by Coordinating Minister Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar on October 16.
He said the achievement reflected the collective work of the local government and residents in strengthening empowerment programs and reducing poverty.
The Mandaya Award is an annual national recognition granted to local governments, communities, and individuals for outstanding contributions to community empowerment and sustainable development.
Tapin stood out for its measurable progress in lowering poverty, improving household income, reducing poverty pockets, and increasing spending efficiency.
Yamani said the award would motivate the district to keep improving programs that directly benefit the public, adding that Tapin aimed to become an innovative and inclusive region focused on sustainable community welfare.
Tapin’s Head of Regional Development Planning, Research, and Innovation Agency (Bappelitbang) Meidy Harris Prayoga said several social programs contributed significantly to the achievement.
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Initiatives such as aid for vulnerable groups, the Beras Ketapang program, vocational training, National Health Insurance (JKN), and scholarships have had a tangible impact on local communities, he said.
The district also launched programs to renovate 1,000 uninhabitable houses, improve sanitation and access to clean water, and cooperate with the National Zakat Agency (Baznas) in providing housing and education support.
Village administrations supported the empowerment drive by allocating Village Funds for social programs and direct cash assistance.
One innovation that impressed the judges was the E-TAPIN MESRA (Electronic Tapin Towards Prosperous Families) system, a digital poverty database allowing the government to monitor welfare data at the village level and ensure targeted aid distribution.
Meidy said digitalization had strengthened cross-sector coordination and made social aid more effective, helping Tapin accelerate its progress toward better community welfare.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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