TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the 2016 Revised State Budget deficit as of November 2016 had reached 2.14 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Sri predicted that the deficit will continue to increase to 2.7 percent until the end of the year, or equals to Rp. 338.8 trillion. "Currently, financing has almost been disbursed completely," Sri said in Bogor last weekend.
Askolani, Director General of Budgeting of the Finance Minsitry added that the 2.14 percent number is lower compared to the deficit recorded in the same period last year, which reaches up to 2.46 percent. "This is our baseline to monitor the 2016 State Budget and to implement the 2017 State Budget," Askolani said.
In order to prevent the deficit from going over 2.7 percent, Askolani said that the Indonesian Government will attempt to control its spending by applying strict control on budgets and conduct savings. "Regional transfers will also be maintained to save and control [the budget]," Askolani said.
The Government has set limit for budget deficit for the 2017 State Budget at 2.41 percent, according to Askolani, while adding that the government will continue to make effort to lower the number later in the future. "And there will be increasing revenues and [more controlled] spending," Askolani explained.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI