Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Social Affairs is seeking support from the House of Representatives (DPR) to increase its annual budget due to the growing complexity of social challenges in Indonesia.ccording to a statement released on Saturday, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini stated that her ministry requires an additional Rp11.58 trillion (approximately US$777.75 million) for the year 2024. The indicative budget ceiling for the ministry in 2024 is Rp77.8 trillion (around US$5.22 billion), which is a decrease of approximately Rp350 billion compared to the 2023 ceiling. The proposed budget increase is necessary to compensate for reductions in various programs implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs. For example, the budget for the Integrated Welfare House (RST) program in the indicative 2024 budget ceiling is Rp32 billion (around US$2.14 million), with a target of benefiting 1,500 families. This represents a decrease of 50 percent compared to the previous year’s budget of Rp67 billion, which targeted 3,250 families. Furthermore, the budget for the Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) program, which supports vulnerable groups, has been reduced from Rp35 billion to Rp23.5 billion (approximately US$1.57 million). The ATENSI program plays a crucial role in enabling the ministry’s regional offices to respond promptly to community needs. Urgent cases include providing operational costs for individuals who are ill or children who have become victims of sexual violence. “In 2022, the Ministry of Social Affairs responded to 6,627 cases based on reports from the community and the media,” she shared. dditionally, the indicative 2024 budget ceiling does not allocate funds for training and education aimed at empowering communities, which the minister expressed regret about. She highlighted that in 2023, the ministry conducted various types of training to improve the welfare of individuals, such as providing batik and sewing training for women in Papua. In response to the reduced budget, Yandri Susanto, a member of Commission VIII of the DPR, stated their commitment to supporting the ministry in securing an increased budget.

Source: Antara News Agency