Poor people increased by 9,760 in South Kalimantan

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan 1/8 (AntaraKalsel) - The number of poor people in South Kalimantan increased by 9,760 people as recorded by Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in its data for one semester in September 2016 until March 2017.

Head of BPS South Kalimantan Diah Utami in Banjarbaru city Tuesday said the number of poor people increased thousands both in urban and rural areas.

"The urban poor have increased by 1,698 and in the rural areas it bigger 8,062 people, bringing the total to 9,760," she said.

She said the number of poor people in South Kalimantan in March 2017 was recorded at 193,919 people or bigger When compared to September 2016 with as many as 184,159 people.

She explained the poor people who reach hundreds of thousands of people are scattered in urban as many as 62,596 people, while in rural it reached 121,323 people.

"The poverty rate in South Kalimantan, both in urban and rural areas, in March 2017 is 4.73 percent, compared to September's poverty rate of 4.52 percent," she said.

According to her, the role of food commodities against the Poverty Line (GK) is still greater than the role of non-food commodities (such as housing, clothing, education and health).

"The role of food commodities is still greater than non-food commodities and the role of Food Poverty Line against poverty line in September amounted to 71.56 percent," she said.

According to her, food commodities that have a relatively large role in determining the Poverty Line are rice, filter clove cigarettes, wet cakes, eggs, instant noodles and sugar.

While non-food commodities that have a relatively large role were housing, gasoline, electricity, education costs, water and toiletries.

"The index of poverty depth in September rose 0.693 to 0.722 in March, which indicates that the average spending of the poor tends to move away from the poverty line," she said.