Jakarta, Jan. 30 -- Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, has said that the government will focus on providing social assistance to 3.1 million Indonesians categorized as extremely poor.

"We are focused on overcoming all the problems faced by our brothers and sisters in the extremely poor category," he added after a meeting with fellow ministers in Jakarta on Thursday.

He said that the aid will be provided in three stages. The first stage will involve increasing special assistance for the extremely poor. In the second stage, the government will provide access to the extremely poor of productive age to skill development programs.

"And the third, we will encourage those considered as the extremely poor...