"When it comes to civil servants we need to keep vigilant over their number which is fairly high and bureaucratic reform is an initiative on which we pin hope to improve the productivity of our civil servants," he said here on Tuesday.
He said much of the routine budget allocations for regions had so far been decided to finance government spending such as salaries while the amount of capital expenditure was very limited and consequently, the financing of infrastructure development was left neglected.
"We call on regions to allocate at least 20 percent of their regional budget fund as capital spending," he said.
To that end, the minister said the government must think of reducing the number of civil servants in 2012 in such way that budget could be well allocated for capital expenditure.
In addition, the higher number of civil servants might add to the government`s burden in providing pension allowances and insurances, he said.
"Care must be taken as it (the higher number of civil servants) will be related not only to salaries but also oldage allowances and pensions and these will all have an impact on such institutions as state insurance companies Taspen, Askes and Asabri that may have financial difficulties due to the higher number of civil servants," he said.
He expressed hope that the bureaucratic reform could run as it was and therefore, the effectiveness and productivity of civil servants would improve. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
