RI's Poverty Rate Down To Six Pct In 2012

Pekanbaru, Riau, April 24 (Antara) - Indonesia`s poverty rate fell by six percent to 11.6 percent in 2012 from 17.6 percent in 2004 thanks to the hard work of the government and community, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Businesses Minister Syarief Hasan said. "In 2004, 17.6 percent of the Indonesian people lived in poverty. But eight years after SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) came to power the poverty rate fell drastically to 11.6 percent in 2012," he said after designating Kampar in Riau province as a national cooperative district on Tuesday. The same was also true with unemployment rate which dropped significantly to six percent in 2012 from 12 percent in 2004, he said. "The achievement is the fruit of the government`s and all parties` continued struggle to get out of economic difficulties," he said. Of course, the success would not come into being without the hard work of the government and community, he said. During eight years of his leadership, President Yudhoyono had also managed to raise the state budget to Rp1,600 trillion in 2013 from Rp430 trillion in 2004, he said. But data from the directorate general of treasury at the finance ministry showed the 2013 state budget in the year to March had recorded a deficit of Rp17.9 trillion as state spending continued to increase while state revenue came under pressure, he said. According to the data, state revenues and grants reached Rp254 trillion as per March 28, 2013, or 16.6 percent of the target set in the 2013 state budget, while state spending soared to Rp271.9 trillion.