IPOH, March 29 — Perak launched its 2030 State Development Plan Roadmap today, with the aim of reducing the state’s number B40 households that was the highest in the country at 12.7 per cent.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad argued, however, that Perak’s high proportion of B40 was due to the revision of the poverty line income nationally.

“The state government is also concerned about the revision of the poverty line income, which was increased to RM2,077, causing more household’s heads to be in the poor and hardcore poor categories.

“Even retired assemblymen who had served two terms and entitled for a fixed pension of RM2,000 monthly will be in that category,” he said in his speech during the launching of the Perak Development Plan Roadmap at the Banquet Hall in the State Secretariat Building here.

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Saarani also said that the state government will look into the aspects of social poverty caused by the education gap among the people.

“In line with the commitment to eradicate poverty through education, the state government has formulated several initiatives.

“Among others, providing assistance to eligible primary and secondary education levels, including aids for school equipment sets such as the Back To School Programme,” he said.

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Recognising the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration for poverty eradication, Saarani said that the state government will strengthen the Cikgu Saarani Tuition initiative.

“We will also strengthen the ‘Programme Anak Angkat’ implemented in collaboration with non-governmental organisations, government-linked companies and private sectors to help children of poor families who have the potential to excel in education.

“Focus will also be given to help poor students who do not have a good level of education but have potential in skills,” he added.

Saarani also said income inequality between urban and rural communities remained a challenge that needed proactive government action, aside from being a major constraint for the B40 group to buy their own homes.

“The inability to buy a house at the market price is due to the growth rate of people’s income which is not in line with the rate of increase in house prices.

“The people’s disposable income is also insufficient to cover housing financing, apart from the mismatch between supply and demand for houses by location,” he explained.

To ensure that housing development can be done comprehensively, Saarani said the state government has improved the Perak State Housing Policy (DPNP).

“Currently, the government is targeting to build 50,000 units of affordable houses within the five years until 2023 which will be jointly done by federal government agencies, state governments and private sectors,” he said.