GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government is set to raise household income to at least RM770 next year to become the first state in the country to eradicate poverty.

While tabling the state's Budget 2013 in the state legislative assembly, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the government will top up the income of households earning less than RM770.

“According to the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, UKM, in a report in 2011, the poverty line indicator in Peninsular Malaysia is RM763 a month.

“Next year, the state will raise the minimum income of households in Penang from RM600 to RM770 a month,” he said.

He added that the programme would involve about RM20mil a year, and this move would eradicate poverty in Penang.

He added that the state had, in 2009, become the first in the country to eradicate hardcore poverty by raising the minimum household income from RM500 to RM600.

Lim also announced that the budget is themed “AES” for Agenda Ekonomi Saksama or Equitable Economic Agenda.

He said it had several initiatives which included stimulating investment and industrial sector, boost heritage and tourism sector, strengthen halal industry, improve quality of public facility and infrastructure, improve traffic management, providing utility facilities and further developing agriculture and livestock sector.

“The state suggests a sum of RM970.56mil as operating budget for 2013.

“There is an increase of RM370.96mil from last year's budget of RM599.6mil for 2012,” he said.

As for development allocation, Lim said a sum of RM363.4mil was set, bringing the overall total to RM1.13bil.

“For 2013, the state estimates to collect RM708.52mil in revenue,” he said.

He added it was the fifth budget by the Pakatan-led state government and would be the last before the coming general election.

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