TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said her ministry would prepare a draft for the 2017 state budget as a fiscal instrument to eliminate poverty.

"We would prepare the draft budget for 2017," the new finance minister said after attending a meeting where President Joko Widodo gave directives to senior officials of the ministry and the taxation directorate general on Thursday.

Also attending the meeting included Coordinating Minister for Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister of Law, Security and Political Affairs Wiranto, Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardoyo, Police Chief Gen.Tito Karnavian, and Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo.

Sri Mulyani said the finance ministry wanted that the state budget would be as expected by the president as an instrument to eliminate poverty, reduce the economic gap and create jobs.

When speaking at a ceremony receiving transfer of job from Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro on Wednesday, Sri Mulani said the fiscal policy instrument in the future should give emphasis on elimination of poverty and create equitable welfare.

"The president wants that the instrument is to eliminate poverty, reduce economic gap, and create jobs, improve the confidence of the public including business players as an efficient economic driver," she said.

She said there are a number of challenges amid the global slowdown keeping the countrys economy under pressure, adding, efficiency, therefore, is important.

ANTARA