"The Commission XI agrees on the proposal for the budget reduction of Rp12.1 billion," Deputy Chairman of the House Commission XI Andi Timo Pangerang said as he chaired a working meeting with Bappenas here on Thursday.
Also present at the meeting were National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana who is also Bappenas chief and her deputy Lukita Dinasyah Tuwo.
Bappenas is among ministries and government institutions having their budget slashed. The government is seeking to lower budget funds by Rp24.6 trillion to maintain a budget deficit of 2.48 percent for this year.
At the meeting, the Bappenas chief proposed a budget reduction of Rp38.8 billion to Rp1.01 trillion under the revised 2013 state budget from the ceiling of Rp1.05 trillion in the 2013 state budget.
The Rp38.8 billion budget cut consisted of Rp16.1 billion from management support document, Rp4.7 billion from apparatus facility and infrastructure improvement program, Rp500 million from supervision and accountability improvement program and Rp17.5 billion from national development planning program.
"The cut in the budget ceiling will be done by postponing the construction of buildings, improving the efficiency of tender outcome and reducing the number of seminars, workshops, working meetings and out-of-office activities," she said.
However, the House Commission XI only endorsed a budget cut of Rp12.1 billion.
Earlier, member of the House Commission XI Dolfie Ofp of the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) faction rejected a Rp4.7 billion cut in the budget allocation for the construction of the agency`s archive building, arguing it could disrupt the agency`s operational activities.
"We object to the cut because it may disrupt Bappenas` performance," he said.
Reporting by Satyagraha
(S012/H-YH)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
