Gov’t Prepares Post-Disaster Housing Schemes, Social Aid, and Regional Budget Adjustments

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian makes a press statement on post-disaster recovery and strategic plans at the Integrated Command Post at Halim Perdanakusuma Military Air Base, Jakarta, Monday (12/29). (Photo by: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat)

The Government keeps its commitment to speed up post-disaster management, especially to restore damaged houses, distribute social aid, and reinforce regional governments’ services in the affected areas in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces. The statement was made by Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian at a press conference on post-disaster recovery and strategic plans at the Integrated Command Post at Halim Perdanakusuma Military Air Base, Jakarta, Monday (12/29).

Tito explained that the people whose houses were heavily damaged are offered by the Government the choice to live in temporary houses or to receive financial aid while living in their relatives’ houses.

“Basically, the people whose houses were lightly damaged will be given Rp15 million, and those whose houses were moderately damaged will be given Rp30 million. Then, the people whose houses were heavily damaged will be provided with temporary houses. They could choose to live in temporary houses or to get financial aid while living in their relatives’ houses,” Tito added.

Tito explained that permanent houses will be built based on three schemes. “At the same time, we are building permanent houses. First, 15 thousand housing units will be built with funds from Danantara, and then, a larger number of housing units will be built by the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas using funds allocated in the State Budget. In addition, some parties want to contribute through mutual cooperation. One of them has pledged to build 2,600 housing units and the groundbreaking for the construction was done a week ago,” Tito added.

Meanwhile, the Government also prepares other supporting aid, such as financial aid for furniture amounting to Rp3 million per family, economic aid amounting to Rp5 million, and food aid worth Rp15 thousand per day for three weeks.

“We expect to receive the data of beneficiaries as soon as possible, no need to be complete, because eventually the data will be updated gradually. Most importantly, we have the main data, the baseline, and we will immediately submit it to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Ministry of Social Affairs. BNPB will immediately distribute the financial aid,” Tito said.

The Minister of Home Affairs emphasized that the main challenge at this moment is beneficiaries data acceleration and accuracy. The data to be used must be by name and by address, and collected by the local governments.

“We estimated that approximately 106,370 housing units have suffered light and moderate damage. We expect to receive the data soon. If we can give them the financial aid immediately, they will come back to their houses, which will be first cleaned up together, and then the Ministry of Social Affairs will help them with the furniture and food provision. So, it will reduce the number of the evacuees,” Tito explained.

Tito mentioned that, as measures to adjust policies to post-disaster conditions become crucial, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a circular to three provinces and 52 affected regencies/cities as well as to Speakers of Regional Legislative Councils, as a legal basis to revise the Regional Budgets and adjust them to post-disaster conditions. (Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat) (AW/TM)