Tito Oversees Release of Post-Disaster Recovery Funds for Sumatra

Indonesia’s Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian is pushing ministries and agencies to move faster on funds approved for post-disaster recovery in Sumatra, saying the time available to implement this year’s programs is narrowing.

Tito made the call as head of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction after the Sumatra disasters. He raised the issue at a task-force meeting in Jakarta on Sept. 2, focused on progress in rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The government has arranged recovery funding in stages through 33 ministries and agencies. Most of the main agencies have received budget approval and begun programs in affected areas. Others are still waiting for approval because they need to provide supporting documents and clearer program details.

Tito urged task-force officials and ministry and agency coordinators to coordinate closely with the Finance Ministry’s Directorate General of Budget. He told officials whose applications had not yet been approved to ensure their documents were complete and convincing.

He also asked agencies that had already received funds to begin their programs promptly. Work is under way in public works, education, health, marine affairs and fisheries, agriculture, the environment, religious affairs, forestry and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The task force will also monitor additional funding provided to local governments, including 10.6 trillion rupiah in regional transfers, to ensure it addresses needs the central government cannot yet cover.

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So please, for colleagues whose applications have not yet been approved, your achievement is to find a way to get this through by showing that your documents are complete and convincing.