Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - The Provincial Government of Lampung has allocated a budget for unexpected spending in the 2023 Regional Expenditure Budget of IDR 31.5 billion.

Regional Secretary of Lampung Province, Fahrizal Darminto explained, the unexpected expenditure budget would only be used for certain conditions.

"The unexpected spending budget in the 2023 Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget is IDR 31.5 billion. This amount is still the same as in 2022 yesterday. This unexpected spending budget is very careful in its use," said Fahrizal, when questioned at the local provincial government office , Tuesday March 7, 2023.

According to him, this unexpected expenditure can be used if there is a natural disaster that is quite large and requires funding that cannot be covered by the budget in the work unit.

"If there is a disaster that is large enough and requires funding that cannot be covered by the existing budget, then unexpected spending can be used when an urgent situation occurs such as a natural disaster. But we hope there will be no disaster," he explained.

He said, each district/city government has allocated a budget for unexpected spending where this is standard in the Regional Expenditure Revenue Budget.

"Hopefully this unexpected spending budget is enough, and unexpected spending has standards in the Regional Expenditure Budget. So each region must have its own allocation," he said.

Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the Regional People's Representative Council of Lampung Province, Norisiman Subing also hopes that the Lampung Government will be careful in using the budget through unexpected spending.

Especially now that Indonesia, including Lampung Province, is still faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, which is still fluctuating.

"Of course you have to be careful. Moreover, in Lampung there are frequent disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic is still there. We are worried that there will be an increase in cases that require an allocation of funds, so there will be unexpected spending that can be used," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency for Lampung Province, Rudy Sjawal Sugiarto said that his party had prepared funds of IDR 15 billion to anticipate natural disasters in Lampung Province.

He ensured that the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency had stocks of basic commodities in the form of fast food such as rice, instant noodles to sardines which were used to buffer stocks sent to regencies/cities.

"We send buffer stocks outside of aid when there is an incident, this is only a buffer. But if for example an area has a disaster, it will be proposed to add basic commodities outside the buffer," he said when asked for information, Monday 6 March 2023.

According to Rudy, currently the paradigm of disaster management in Lampung Province is more on community preparedness and vigilance, which was originally responsive to be proactive.

"Furthermore, currently disaster management efforts are more towards education, educating the public, outreach including an early prevention system. So it is necessary to increase capacity and increase education," he explained. (*)

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