TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Commission XI on financial affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR) has approved Rp40.7 trillion worth of allocation in the draft 2017 state budget for the Finance Ministry. The budget of Rp40.7 trillion was approved after slashing the previous proposed ceiling of Rp42.1 trillion by Rp1.4 trillion. "Commission XI could approve the Rp40.7 trillion budget allocation for the Finance Ministry in the draft 2017 state budget," Chairman of Commission XI, Melchias Mark Mekeng, said while leading a working meeting to discuss adjustments in the budget for the Finance Ministry on Tuesday.

The allocation of Rp40.7 trillion was previously deliberated upon by the Budgetary Body. The amount came in the form of rupiah currency worth Rp28.1 trillion, Rp12.5 trillion from the Public Service Agency (BLU) and Rp89.3 billion from loans as well as overseas grants (PHLN). As for the Rp1.4 billion cut, it was a result of a cut in the budget for expenditure on goods, official trips, honorarium, maintenance, capital expenditure for development, renovation of state buildings and procurement of official vehicles.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati explained that the budget ceiling proposed by the Finance Ministry would support the bureaucratic reforms program, which has been running in an optimal manner. "The budget ceiling reflects the management of the Finance Ministry which has an important task and a commitment to continue the bureaucratic reforms in a diligent fashion," Minister Sri Mulyani remarked.

The Rp40.7 trillion allocation will be used as follows: Rp16.59 trillion for the Ministry's Secretariat General, Rp112.1 billion for the Inspectorate General, Rp142.4 billion for Budgetary Directorate General and Rp6.68 trillion for the Directorate General of Taxation. Similarly, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise will receive Rp3.22 trillion, the Directorate General of Fiscal Balance Rp132 billion, the Directorate General of Financing and Risk Management Rp123.5 billion and the Directorate General of Treasury Rp12.17 trillion.

In addition, the Directorate General of State Treasury will be allocated Rp691.9 billion, the Financial Education and Training Agency Rp734.1 billion and the Fiscal Policy Office Rp158.6 billion.

ANTARA