Agus Maryono, Banjarnegara – The poverty rate in Banjarnegara regency, Central Java, has increased sharply to more than 60 percent as of the first semester this year, compared with the corresponding period last year.

The regency public relations office said, as of August, the number of people living below the poverty line in Banjarnegara stood at 315,646 people, or 85,420 families. The figure is around 32 percent of the total population of 1 million, despite the fact the poverty rate in Banjarnegara in 2008 was still around 20 percent, or 49,082 families.

"We are indeed concerned and are making strenuous efforts to reduce the poverty rate. The growing number of poor people can be attributed to a number of factors. These include the high number of disabled people, underprivileged families, beggars, homeless people, people displaced by disasters and other social problems," Banjarnegara regency spokesman Wahyono told the media recently.

Wahyono said the 315,000 deprived people were found in 273 villages and 18 districts in Banjarnegara. "In 2008, the figure had dropped to around 20 percent, compared with 2005 which was half the total population. However, the number has now increased again," Wahyono told The Jakarta Post, adding the number of poor families in Banjarnegara stood at 112,000 families in 2005.

"We are making all efforts to reduce the poverty rate. Our aim is that Banjarnegara relinquish its disadvantaged regency status in Central Java by 2010," Wahyono said.

He added Banjarnegara was one of three, out of the 35, regencies and mayoralties in Central Java included in the disadvantaged regency category, the three being Banjarnegara, Blora and Banyumas.

Based on data from the Central Java provincial administration, the three regencies had been at the top of the poverty list since 1999. In 1999, the poverty rate in Banjarnegara was listed as the highest in Central Java and stood at 52.4 percent of its total population, followed by Blora at 45.4 percent and Banyumas at 44.1 percent, whereas, 12 other regencies recorded 38.3 percent.

"We have been struggling hard over the past five years to alleviate poverty, to be able to lift 20 percent of the population out of the throes of poverty. However, we are confident that by 2010, we will not have the status of being the poorest regency," Wahyono said. The Banjarnegara regency administration has involved officials from village to district level this year to completely eradicate poverty by 2010 as part of its serious efforts to resolve the issue.

Minister of Social Services Bachtiar Chamsyah handed over Rp 2 billion (about US$200,000) in August as part of the central government's efforts to tackle the issue, especially to renovate homes deemed unfit in Banjarnegara. Bachtiar said the assistance was not only aimed at alleviating poverty, but also improving people's well-being.