KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — The People’s Income Initiative (IPR), which aims to increase the income of the hardcore poor and the B40 group, has so far benefited 4,100 households, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said IPR is one of the short- and medium-term intervention measures that the government is implementing to eradicate hardcore poverty this year.

"IPR involves providing a complete ecosystem and support in-kind to participants to assist and encourage them in economic activities to generate additional income in a sustainable manner,” he said during the ministerial reply in the Dewan Rakyat here today.

Rafizi was responding to a question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) on the current development of the government’s aspirations to make 2023 the year to end hardcore poverty and the current poverty rate in the country.

The IPR, which has been allocated RM750 million in the 2023 budget, aims to help about 130,000 people regardless of their background to free themselves from the shackles of poverty.

It is implemented through three pilot initiative namely the Farming Entrepreneur Initiative (INTAN), the Food Entrepreneur Initiative (INSAN) and the Services Operator Initiative (IKHSAN).

In an effort to increase the participation of target groups in the IPR initiative, Rafizi said that all government agencies have been asked to identify low-income households to be enrolled in an appropriate programme under the IPR by the end of this year.

Besides the IPR, the government’s commitment to eradicate hardcore poverty was also realised through various measures under Budget 2024, including the continuation of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) and Payung Rahmah initatives, he said.

Other initiatives include subsidies for rice farmers and smallholders, as well as rural infrastructure repair projects and poverty alleviation programmes.

"In addition, the government has agreed to consider a special monthly cash subsidy for households that cannot earn an income or are unproductive to ensure that they get out of extreme poverty,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rafizi said about 80,000 households had been removed from the eKasih list by September 2023, after the clean up on the eKasih database. — Bernama