Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has set poverty alleviation as its main focus in national development policies this year, in accordance with the 2026 Government Work Plan (RKP).
"The issue of poverty is currently one of the priority issues for the government," Deputy for Development Macro Planning at the Ministry of National Development Planning, Eka Chandra Buana, told ANTARA here on Friday.
He noted that the government is currently enhancing efforts to deliver social assistance more effectively through digitalization, supported by the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN).
Buana further said that the government has launched Welfare Cards to meet the basic needs of low-income communities, as well as Affirmative Business Cards designed for community empowerment, including skills training and expanded access to capital.
In the medium-to-long term, the development of human resources within impoverished families is being bolstered through the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program and the tuition-free school program Sekolah Rakyat, as part of efforts to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
"To show a national commitment, the president has issued Presidential Instruction Number 8 of 2025 regarding the Optimization of Poverty Alleviation and Extreme Poverty Eradication, which serves as the foundation for strengthening coordination across ministries and agencies," he said.
According to Buana, floods and landslides that struck the Sumatra region in November 2025 have posed additional challenges to poverty reduction efforts.
To address this, the government issued Presidential Decree Number 1 of 2026 on the Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sumatra.
This task force involves various ministries and agencies, focusing on social and economic recovery, as well as food security, which are closely linked to poverty alleviation.
"In this context, the government is not only providing basic necessities for disaster-affected communities but is also offering economic recovery support, including assistance for residents who lost their business capital due to the floods in Sumatra," he remarked.
