South Kalimantan enlarges social agency budget

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - The government of South Kalimantan allocates Rp30 billion Social Agency budget this year for the handling of social welfare and other issues.

"The budget allocation rose by Rp23 billion compared to the allocation in 2016 which was only Rp7 billions," said the Governor Sahbirin Noor in Banjarbaru, Saturday.

His statement was delivered in front of the Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa who inaugurated the Center for Education and Social Welfare Training (BBPPKS) Regional IV Kalimantan.

According to the governor, the fund had been allocated in the local budget and of which earmarked for house renovation (bedah rumah) program in 13 districts and cities in the province.

"The fund is also prepared for food assistance, but not to forget the community empowerment program," he said.

According to him, the budget increase for social sector in 2017 is based on the desire to provide services and social welfare especially for people suffer social problems.

Enhancement of human resources of social workers, social activists organizational empowerment is also a concern with increasing the budget according to their needs.

"We're trying to reduce the poverty rate to be lower despite the poverty in South Kalimantan is currently lower than the national poverty level," he said.

Another concern is given to disables, abandoned children, street children, and people with other social problems through better services and rehabilitation.

"We believe the South Kalimantan vision of established, more prosperous, equitable, independent, and competitive which is the direction of development 2016-2021 can be achieved as expected," he said.

He requested the support of the Ministry of Social to address the social problems, especially with the presence of BBPPKS whose offices at Jalan Trikora, Banjarbaru.