TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Head Suharso Monoarfa said that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo targeted a significant decrease in the rate of the most severe poverty level by 2024.

“Our extreme poverty rate is around 2.3 percent to 3 percent. The President orders [to suppress it] to zero percent by 2024,” said Suharso in a virtual press conference after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 5.

To achieve this target, Suharso explained that the government would focus on social assistance programs targeting groups of people who were categorized as vulnerable and poor.

Besides, the government is determined to reform the social protection system. Bappenas has designated the time frame until 2024, he added.

The government also plans to draft and rearrange social protection and security. Efforts that have been done as Covid-19 mitigation thus far would be integrated.

The first process would involve data accuracy via a digital system in a bid to provide a high accuracy level in the aid distribution.

Bappenas would also develop a program so that many social aid initiatives by various ministries and institutions would be effective. “We will combine it into a few strategic programs as social assistance,” Suharso said.

Read: Govt Eyes to Reduce Poverty Rate to 9.2 Percent in 2021

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