DENPASAR ~

The poor in Bali reached 195,950 people until September 2014, or 4.76 percent of the total population on the island. An increase of 10,750 people or 0.23 percent compared to March 2014 which recorded 185,200 people (4.53 percent).

“Despite the increasing number of poor people, but Bali still in second position for the lowest number of poor people in Indonesia, after Jakarta,” said Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Bali Panasunan Siregar in Denpasar on Sunday.

Panasunan Siregar explained the number of poor in urban areas increased by 9,300 people, from 99,900 in March 2014 to 109,200 people in September 2014.

Panasunan Siregar added, food commodity is much greater role on the formation of the poverty line compared to the non-food commodities which includes housing, clothing, education and health.

Ten food commodities which have great impact on the number of poverty in urban and rural areas alike, including rice, cigarette filters, chicken, eggs, coffee, onions, noodles, sugar, tofu and tempeh.

Five most non-food commodities not greatly affect the value of the poverty line, both in urban and rural areas is the cost of housing, religious ceremonies, gasoline and electricity.

While the cost of education only in urban area and cost of firewood only affect poverty in rural areas.