ID :
58693
Sun, 05/03/2009 - 18:54
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https://oananews.org//node/58693
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BAPPENAS: 2009 POVERTY RATE STILL CAN BE LOWERED
Denpasar, May 3 (ANTARA) - The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) has expressed optimism that the country's poverty rate in 2009 can be further lowered despite economic slowdown.
"We have noticed that if the economy can expand at a range of 4.0-4.5 percent, the current consumption rate can be maintained and government programs can be implemented on time, the poverty rate still can be lowered," assistant for poverty, manpower and small businesses to the Bappenas chief, Prasetijono Widjojo, said on Sunday.
He said the reduction of poverty rate would no doubt slow down amidst the economic downturn.
"But it (the poverty rate) still will be at a range of 12-14 percent. In 2008 it stood at 15.4 percent and in 2009 it will fall albeit at a slight pace," he said.
Earlier, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned that the number of impoverished people in Asia could increase to 100 million next year if the global crisis deepened.
Prasetijono said he had yet to study the ADB estimate of the country's poverty rate. To be sure, the Central Statistics Board (BPS) conducted a field study in March and would announce the results of its study in July 2009.
Asked about the possibility of the government resuming direct cash assistance (BLT), he said there had been no discussion about the matter.
But if the existing programs could be implemented effectively they could actually keep down the poverty rate, he said.
"The problem now is that we don't know how long the current crisis will last and the extent to which it will affect the economy. Some have predicted it can last until 2010," he said.
"We have noticed that if the economy can expand at a range of 4.0-4.5 percent, the current consumption rate can be maintained and government programs can be implemented on time, the poverty rate still can be lowered," assistant for poverty, manpower and small businesses to the Bappenas chief, Prasetijono Widjojo, said on Sunday.
He said the reduction of poverty rate would no doubt slow down amidst the economic downturn.
"But it (the poverty rate) still will be at a range of 12-14 percent. In 2008 it stood at 15.4 percent and in 2009 it will fall albeit at a slight pace," he said.
Earlier, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned that the number of impoverished people in Asia could increase to 100 million next year if the global crisis deepened.
Prasetijono said he had yet to study the ADB estimate of the country's poverty rate. To be sure, the Central Statistics Board (BPS) conducted a field study in March and would announce the results of its study in July 2009.
Asked about the possibility of the government resuming direct cash assistance (BLT), he said there had been no discussion about the matter.
But if the existing programs could be implemented effectively they could actually keep down the poverty rate, he said.
"The problem now is that we don't know how long the current crisis will last and the extent to which it will affect the economy. Some have predicted it can last until 2010," he said.
