Anies Baswedan Says 2021 Budget to Focus on Covid-19 Mitigation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the provincial government prioritized the budget for the mitigation of the Covid-19 pandemic in the regional government draft bill on the 2021 Regional Budget.

Anies made the statement in a hearing with the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) today, November 26, 2020.

“We cannot predict and know exactly when the pandemic will end in 2021. So due to this reason, there will be budget adjustment in 2021,” said the governor.

The 2021 Jakarta Budget (APBD) was agreed at Rp82.5 trillion, 30.4 percent higher than the 2020 Revised APBD of Rp63.23 trillion. According to Anies, general policies in the draft include policies on regional revenue, spending, and financing.

Jakarta administration, he added, would direct the regional revenue to boost locally-generated incomes, transfer fund management, and others.

Regional spending, meanwhile, would be allocated to push strategic programs, social assistance in the form of subsidy, grants, or social aid that boost economic growth, increase employment, reduce poverty, support national policies, and mitigate Covid-19.

The source of financing in 2021 was projected to come from the unused funds or Silpa 2020. Jakarta would also rely on regional loans of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) program. “As well as a loan extension from the government for the MRT project,” said Anies Baswedan.

Read: Anies Baswedan to Draft Policies in Anticipation of Post-peak Pandemic

ADAM PRIREZA