TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Agriculture claims to have economized its annual budgets every year. Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said in 2015 his agency successfully saved Rp 4.1 trillion. In 2016, the cut corners resulted in a Rp 3.9 trillion budget saving.
"In 2017, we will save Rp 3.7 trillion," Amran said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.
For the fiscal year of 2018, Amran said that the budget posts will be reviewed to see which are necessary and which ones can be scrapped. As an illustration, the budget business trips that are considered unproductive could be cut by up to Rp 800 billion.
At the plenary session on the 2018 state budget draft's indicative ceilings, President Joko Widodo asked to have the annual routine program evaluated again.
The President expects the government to carry out budget cuts for unnecessary posts like shopping goods, and have that money relocated for capital expenditure. "I think a lot of costs can be saved," said Jokowi.
For the Ministry of Agriculture, Amran said there are expenditure items that must be actualized such as irrigation development budget. Meanwhile, items included in capital expenditures like building improvements and car purchases, Amran said, will be less prioritized.
Amran said that he has coordinated directly with President Jokowi and the Finance Ministry to discuss the different categories of purchased goods and capital expenditure items.
"The main point is to have a productive budget," Amran said.
ADITYA BUDIMAN
