Semarang, Central Java (ANTARA) - Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo is aiming to accelerate the handling of extreme poverty in 17 districts through various programs after carrying out data verification and validation.

"Several programs for poverty intervention have started to be executed, for example, earlier regarding inhabitable houses, toilets, clean water, and what is (currently) pursued, (namely) out-of-school children," he informed after the Coordination Meeting for Extreme Poverty Handling in 17 Priority Districts in Central Java, which was held here on Monday.

Pranowo asked the governments of the 17 priority districts to prioritize the verification and validation of extreme poverty data, especially Purbalingga and Pemalang districts, where the task has not yet reached 100 percent.

"I want the verification to be done quickly, be finished in one week, and those that have been recorded to be handled," he stressed.

The governor said that the interventions that have been included in the plan of the state budget (APBN) and regional budget (APBD) must be executed promptly. Meanwhile, for those that have not been included, other sources, such as the National Alms Agency (Baznas) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, can be utilized.

"I ask you all (governments of the 17 priority districts) to concentrate on extreme poverty so that we can handle it quickly, and I would thank districts that work quite fast," he added.

The Central Java Governor has issued Decree Number 465/13 of 2023 regarding the extreme poverty eradication task force in Central Java province.

The task force has been tasked with handling extreme poverty in Central Java.

The 17 districts prioritized for extreme poverty eradication in Central Java are Banjarnegara, Banyumas, Blora, Brebes, Cilacap, Demak, Grobogan, Kebumen, Klaten, Magelang, Pemalang, Purbalingga, Purworejo, Rembang, Sragen, Wonogiri, and Wonosobo.

The Indonesian government is targeting to eradicate extreme poverty in the country by 2024. (LHP)