indo02

Indonesia: Government sees lower deficit in September

The Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday that the state budget deficit declined in September to Rp 200.23 trillion (US$13.2 billion), equivalent to 1.35 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

“The deficit realization was lower than the deficit in the same period last year, both in terms of its [actual] figure and in its percentage of GDP,” the ministry said in a statement.

The September 2017 budget deficit was Rp 227 trillion, or 2 percent of GDP.

Meanwhile, the primary balance was minus Rp 2.4 trillion, a year-on-year improvement from minus Rp 99.24 trillion.

Revenue of Rp 900.86 trillion had been collected from taxes to September, while  customs and excise revenue was at Rp 123.64 trillion, more than 63 percent of the government’s target for the year.

Non-tax revenue reached Rp 281.37 trillion, 102 percent more than the initial target.

In terms of expenditures, the government had spent Rp 1.51 quadrillion through September, or 68 percent of the year’s spending target. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/10/17/government-sees-lower-deficit-in-september.html