Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 2015, 5(6):320-327 † Corresponding author DOI: 10.18488/journal.2/2015.5.6/2.6.320.327 ISSN(e): 2223-1331/ISSN(p): 2226-5724 © 2015 AESS Publications. All Rights Reserved. 320 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF URBAN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (PNPM) IN TACKLING POVERTY IN INDONESIA Rita Nengsih 1† --- Juli Dwina Puspita Sari 2 --- Zenitha Maulida 3 --- Ferdi Nazirun Sijabat 4 1,2,3,4 Economic Faculty of Universitas Ubudiyah Indonesia, Banda Aceh, Indonesia ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to describe the effectiveness of the national community empowerment program (PNPM) in tackling urban poverty in Indonesia. The data used in this research is a qualitative data (literature), namely journals and books. Data were collected with a literature survey technique which later was processed by using the analysis content procedure (content analysis). The Poverty is a fundamental issue for the community in Indonesia and a major issue for many developing countries. The poverty in urban area, lack of employment opportunities, low income population and rising number of unemployment is a major problem that must be addressed by the government. In order to overcome this problem, the government proposes a major effort through community empowerment programs. The national community empowerment program (PNPM) is a national poverty reduction program which mainly focuses on community development and one of government programs that which promotes an increasing income of the poor through the Assistance provided. This program utilizes an empowerment approach (empowerment) so that development of the society can be sustainable. Poverty eradication through the national community empowerment program (PNPM) is done by empowering the community with three types of main activities, namely infrastructure, social and economic, urban neighborhoods which generally known as Tridaya. The beneficiaries argue that they were helped by the existence of such a program as that the assistance provided by the government through the national community empowerment program (PNPM) has gradually been improving lower economic community regardless several factors which deter the progress of the program. © 2015 AESS Publications. All Rights Reserved. Keywords: Effectiveness, The national community empowerment program (PNPM), Urban independent (MP), Poverty, Economic, Government, Indonesia. Journal of Asian Scientific Research ISSN(e): 2223-1331/ISSN(p): 2226-5724 journal homepage: http://www.aessweb.com/journals/5003