Jakarta Provincial Government increases budget allocations for unexpected expenditures (BTT) from Rp 1.032 trillion to Rp 2 trillion or totaled to Rp 3.032 trillion in the nation’s fight against COVID-19. The budget will be used until the end of May.

If the case isn't finished yet, we will send more budget

Jakarta Regional Financial Management Agency Head Edi Sumantri explained it is a real budget, as its allocation had been signed based on the rules on March 19 and 26.

The legal basis for the budget allocation includes Gubernatorial Regulation number 25/2020 on Amendments to Gubernatorial Regulation number 16/2019 on Translation of 2020 APBD and Gubernatorial Regulation number 28/2020 on the Second Amendment to Gubernatorial Regulation number 162/2019 on 2020 APBD.

He furthered it comes from the use of BTT, the delay in a number of Regional Investment (PMD), especially the infrastructure budget for Formula E and the delay in the purchase of land. Thus it can be spent to contain the coronavirus through the Health Agency, Social Agency, BPBD and several OPDs.

"Rp 2 trillion will be allocated for tackling health issues and social security for affected populations. If the case isn't finished yet, we will send more budget," he asserted, Thursday (4/2), as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

As for the information, the city had allocated Rp 54 billion for BTT budget through the Health Agency for handling COVID-19 on March 10.

Its legal basis was Government Regulation number 12/2019, which makes it possible to use the BTT budget with the criteria for urgent needs, which is for regional expenditure beyond the local government's control and cannot be predicted beforehand, as well as the mandate of legislation and other regional expenditures which if delayed will lead to greater losses for the local government and the community.