Gunungsugih, Central Lampung (ANTARA News) - The government has planned to reduce the national poverty rate from the present 13.33 percent or 31.02 percent to 8-10 percent by 2014.

Almost half of the country`s 33 provinces had higher poverty rate percentage than the average national poverty rate, according to Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, here Friday.

"The government has tried to reduce the poverty rate by creating various programs," the minister said.

Most of the poor are living in rural areas where rural economic institutions were weak in supporting the agricultural sector, according to the minister.

The programs to be promoted by the government to help reduce the number of the poor include Family-based Integrated Assistance Program, Community Empowerment Program, and the Micro and Small-Scale Business Empowerment Program.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when presenting the 2011 Draft State Budget and its Financial Note in Jakarta, last August 16, said the government planned to allocate ample funds to implement pro-poor programs in order to lower the poverty rate in 2011.

All pro-poor programs were the nation`s direct intervention to ensure the benefits of development flow, not just drip, to the people,

In the 2011 Draft State Budget, the government allocates Rp61.5 trillion in funds for social allowance expenditures for the poor.

Indonesia`s poverty rate in 2009 was 14.15 percent or 32.53 million people, down from 15.42 percent in 2008. This year`s poverty rate is expected at 13 percent of the total population of 237.6 million. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli

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