PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. Governor Sugianto Sabran officially opened the Development Planning Meeting of Central Kalimantan Regional Government Work Planning for 2023 which was held virtually from the West Kotawaringin Regent’s Office, Thursday (7/4/2022).

Governor Sugianto Sabran emphasized that the development of Central Kalimantan in 2023 will still refer to the 2021-2026 Regional Mid-term Development Plan (RPJMD) and will continue to focus on the sectors of infrastructure, education, health, and economy.

The governor said the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government would continue to encourage investment to increase regional economic growth in order to reduce unemployment and poverty. The provincial government will also encourage efforts to increase the added value of regional superior products.

In his opening remarks as well as his directives, the Governor explained that the Central Kalimantan economy in 2021 grew 3.40% which was driven by improved commodity prices and increased regional, national and global economic activity after the success of controlling the spread of Covid-19 and high vaccination achievements.

“I appreciate and express my gratitude for the hard work of the National Armed Forces and National Police, Task Force, and health volunteers in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and implementing vaccinations in Central Kalimantan Province,” said the Governor.

Furthermore, the Governor also described other macro achievements of Central Kalimantan Province development, such as the poverty Level of 5.16% which was better than the national achievement of 10.14%; the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2021 was 71.25; Gini Ratio of 0.323 which was also better than the national achievement of 0.384; and the Open Unemployment Rate of 4.53% which was lower than the national figure of 6.49%.

In addition to these macro achievements, according to the Governor, Central Kalimantan Province has also managed to record achievements in the fields of infrastructure, education, health, as well as in the areas of regional income and expenditure, in the 2017-2021 period, Central Kalimantan provincial budget tended to increase.

The Governor acknowledged, in 2021-2022, there will be a decrease in regional income and expenditure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Regional Original Revenue (PAD) of Central Kalimantan Province has continued to increase in the last 3 years.

The governor also hoped that by 2023, Central Kalimantan’s income will increase, which is supported by the PAD and Revenue Sharing Funds. “I ask the provincial, regency and municipality governments, business actors and stakeholders to support the management of the natural resources of Central Kalimantan Province to improve the welfare of the people of Central Kalimantan,” hoped the Governor.

Governor asked the regents/mayor to encourage increased investment in their respective regions. Then, the regional institutions related to the licensing sector were asked to avoid the convoluted licensing process. All stakeholders are asked to increase innovation and the Central Government is expected to assist development in Central Kalimantan by increasing the Balanced Fund, Deconcentration Fund and Co-assistance Fund, and other funding sources.

Meanwhile, in his report, Acting Provincial Secretary Nuryakin revealed that after the meeting which was carried out in stages from the village/district level, facilitation of the Draft of Regional Head Regulation on the RKPD would be carried out by the Directorate General of Regional Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs before being stipulated through a Governor Regulation in the 3rd or 4th week of May 2022.

The Acting Provincial Secretary said that on April 11-13 2022, a Desk Meeting will be held, namely the Economic Desk on April 11, 2022, the Infrastructure Desk on April 12, 2022, and the Social, Cultural and Governmental Desk on April 13, 2022.

“We hope that the Director General of Regional Development and the Deputy for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources can prioritize our proposals so that they can support national strategic activities,” concluded the Acting Provincial Secretary Nuryakin in Jayang Tingang Hall, Governor’s Office today.

Being present in person at the Jayang Tingang Hall were the Head of Regional Development Planning, Research and Development Kaspinor, and a number of related government institution heads of Central Kalimantan Provincial Government, as well as the regents/mayor or their representatives from 13 regencies and 1 municipality.

Meanwhile, accompanying the Governor at the West Kotawaringin Regent’s Office, were the Regent Nurhidayah and Deputy Regent Ahmadi Riansyah; and a number of government institution heads of Central Kalimantan Provincial Government such as the Head of Forestry Service Sri Suwanto, the Head of Regional Civil Service/Acting Head of General Bureau Lisda Arriyana, the Acting Head of Capital Investment and One Stop Integrated Service Sutoyo, the Head of Housing, Settlement and Lands Erlin Hardi, the Acting Head of the Energy and Mineral Resources Office Vent Christway, and Acting Head of Executive Administration Bureau Johni Sonder.

This meeting was also attended in a hybrid manner by the members of the Indonesian House of Representatives and the Regional Representative Council; the Chairman of the Provincial House of Representatives, Commissions, and Members of the Central Kalimantan Provincial House of Representatives; the members of Central Kalimantan Leadership Coordination Forum; Head of the Representative Office of the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia in Central Kalimantan Province; the Head of BPKP Representative Office in Central Kalimantan Province; the Head of Indonesian Ombudsman Representative Office in Central Kalimantan Province; the Head of the Regional State Intelligence Agency in Central Kalimantan Province.

In addition, attend offline and online, the Governor’s Expert Staff, the Assistants of Provincial Secretary, the Heads of Representative Office of the Central Government Institutions in Central Kalimantan Province, the Chancellors of universities in Palangka Raya, customary leaders, and community Leaders in Central Kalimantan.

Today’s meeting was in conjunction with the direction of the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia represented by the Director General of Regional Development Teguh Setyabudi at the Jayang Tingang Hall, then the direction of the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of National Development Planning Agency, represented by the Deputy for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources Arifin Rudiyanto and the direction of the Minister of Finance of the Republic Indonesia represented by the Director General of Fiscal Balance Astera Primanto Bhakti. (ran/ben/transl.feb)