State Budget Performance Improves; Economic Recovery Makes Headway: Sri Mulyani

INDUSTRY.co.id - The realization of this year’s State Budget until August 2021 has shown good performance, marked by maintained growth in expenditure realization of Rp1,560.8 trillion or a growth of 1.5 percent, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati has announced.

“It is the people who feel direct impact from the realization of State Budget carried out by the Government,” the Minister said, Thursday (23/09).

In more detail, the realization of ministry/institutions expenditures amounted to Rp255.2 trillion, growing by 60.4 percent.

The growth was dominated by Ministry of Health in COVID-19-related spending, Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises in helping business players, especially in micro, small and medium enterprises, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing in finalizing ongoing projects-related spending, Ministry of Religious Affairs in school operational assistance, and the Palm Oil Public Service Agency (BLU) in helping oil palm farmers.

“In addition, construction of dams is expected to provide support to the agricultural sector. It is the same with the construction of irrigation networks, roads, hospitals, bridges, railway lines,” Sri Mulyani added.

Furthermore, the realization of social protection budget is used for the distribution of social assistance, subsidies, and other Government’s assistance.

As of 31 August, the Staple Food Card program have been distributed to 16.1 million recipient groups, Family Hope Program to 9.9 million recipient groups, Cash Social Assistance to 10 million recipient groups, Pre-Employment Card to 3.6 million participants, wage subsidy for 2.1 million workers, electricity discounts to 32.6 million households of 450VA and 900VA holders, and Village Cash Assistance (BLT) to 5.5 million recipient groups.

In health sector, the State Budget also plays its role in handling COVID-19 and to the recipients of the National Health Insurance (PBI JKN), namely in procurement of 94.5 million doses of vaccine, cash incentives to 941.4 thousand health workers, and dues payment for 96.5 million disadvantaged people.

In energy sector, realization of subsidy spending reached Rp64.1 trillion. This figure is for distribution of 8,848.1 thousand kiloliters of fuel, 4,299.8 million kilograms of LPG, 37.68 million electricity customers, and 36.6 TWh volume of electricity consumption.

“These are all state expenditures that directly give protection to the people,” Sri Mulyani remarked.