"The government`s work plan also contains the direction of national policies."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a presidential regulation that will serve as a reference for ministries, non-ministerial government agencies and regional governments in drawing up their work plans for 2013.

The presidential regulation number 54/2012 will also serve as a basis for the government to draft the 2013 state budget, said the head of the public relations service at the National Development Planning Ministry, Maruhum Batubara, in a press statement issued on Wednesday.

Batubara explained that the government will use the 2013 work plan to discuss the general policies and priorities of the state budget with the House of Representatives (DPR), while the ministries and non-ministerial agencies will use the 2013 work plan to discuss their respective work plans and budgets in the parliament.

He described the 2013 work plan as a national development planning document which will be valid for one year starting January 1, 2013.

"The government`s work plan also contains the direction of national policies for one year, which reflects the government`s commitment to give certainty about its national development policies," he added.

The 2013 work plan, which is a follow up to the long-term national development plan of 2010-2014, consists of three parts. The first part deals with development priorities and the macro-economic framework; the second part, with development priorities in each field; and the third part, with a territory-based development plan.

The objective of the 2013 work plan is to strengthen the domestic economy in support of the people`s welfare. Therefore, it focuses on a number of strategic issues such as improving the competitive edge of national products, improving and expanding the people`s welfare, and maintaining social and political stability.

According to Batubara, the 2013 work plan was drawn up after considering recommendations from a public consultation forum involving civil organisations.

In addition to other recommendations, the forum recommended that the government increase poor people`s access to poverty eradication programmes and develop local food as a substitute for rice.
(Uu.S012/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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