Malang, (malangkota.go.id) – In the last 15 years, the poverty rate in Malang City has experienced a downward trend, from 7,22 percent in 2008 to 4,37 percent in 2022. This was conveyed by the Head of BPS Malang City, Erny Fatma Setyoharini through the Official Statistics News (BRS) of Malang City, Thursday (1/12/2022).
"In March 2022, the poverty rate in Malang City was 4,37 percent or decreased by 0,25 percentage points compared to 2021. Despite the decrease, the current poverty rate has not returned to the poverty rate before the pandemic, which reached 4,07 percent in 2019," he said.
In this BRS, Erny also said that in addition to the number and percentage of poor people, other poverty indicators that need to be considered are the depth index (P1) and the severity of poverty (P2). The poverty depth index in March 2022 was 1,00 or an increase compared to 2021, which was 0,87.
"The increase in the poverty depth index indicates that the expenditure of the poor is getting deeper or further from the poverty line. Whereas poverty alleviation efforts aim to get people out of the poverty line," he explained.
Meanwhile, the poverty severity index (P2) in March 2022 was recorded at 0,34 or an increase compared to 2021, which was 0,22. The increase in the poverty severity index indicates that the expenditure gap between poor people is widening. This has an impact on poverty alleviation which is increasingly difficult.
Erny likened the poor to fish that are further from the surface and increasingly spread out or not clustered in one place. As a result, when they are caught and brought to the surface, it becomes increasingly difficult, a similar thing happens in efforts to lift people out of poverty.
"So in addition to reducing the number of poor people, efforts should also be made to reduce the poverty depth index and the poverty severity index. Reducing the level of poverty depth and severity will accelerate efforts to reduce the number of poor people," he continued.
Furthermore, Erny revealed that the poverty rate in East Java Province is 10,38 percent. Meanwhile, when compared to other districts/cities in East Java, the poverty rate of Malang City is ranked second lowest after Batu City.
"Of course this is an achievement for the ranks of the Malang City Government who have worked hard to reduce the number of poor people in Malang City," he concluded. (ari/ram)
