Gov’t Speeds Up Social Assistance Distribution During Emergency Restrictions
An online joint press conference on the evaluation of the implementation of Emergency Restrictions, Saturday (17/07/2021). Photo by: YouTube account of Presidential Secretariat.
The Government is committed to speeding up distribution of social assistance and providing higher budget allocation for social assistance programs during the emergency activity restrictions (Emergency PPKM), Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has stated.
“To ease the burden of the people affected by the Emergency PPKM, the President has ordered ministers to provide additional assistance for the people. The Government will provide Rp 39.19 trillion additional budget for social assistance to be disbursed immediately by Minister of Finance and Minister of Social Affairs,” Luhut said in an online joint press conference on the evaluation of the implementation of Emergency PPKM, Saturday (17/07/2021).
The assistance provided by the Government includes rice assistance program (10 kilograms for each recipient of Cash Social Assistance and Staple Food Cards); Cash Assistance (BST); Staple Food Cards; Family Hope Program (PKH); Cash Assistance proposed by regional governments; Pre-Employment Program; Electricity tariff discount for 450VA and 900VA customers; Internet Quota Subsidy for students, teachers, and lecturers; Assistance for Account of electricity tariff /subscription tariff; and Village Cash Direct Assistance (BLT).
“The President has also ordered cabinet ministers to ensure that various social assistance programs can be immediately distributed to low-income families and community members,” Luhut said.
The Coordinating Minister further said that the Government has also set aside Rp 33.21 trillion additional budget for health sector.
“The Government has also provided Rp 33.21 trillion additional budget for health sector, including budget for the cost of treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals, incentives for health workers, budget for vaccination staff, construction of field hospitals, oxygen purchasing, and distribution of two million free medicines for asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients,” he concluded. (DND/UN) (RI/MUR)
