President Jokowi: El Nino Direct Cash Assistance to Increase People’s Purchasing Power

President Jokowi’s visit to Rogojampi Market, Banyuwangi regency, East Java province, Wednesday (12/27). (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat’s Bureau of Press, Media, and Information/BPMI)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reiterated that direct cash assistance (BLT) for people affected by the El Nino phenomenon is the Government’s effort aimed to increase people’s purchasing power.

“The El Nino direct cash assistance is indeed to boost the purchasing power of the people who are affected by the last super El Nino because many of them are badly impacted, many of them have to face decrease in their productivity, so we hope that with this assistance, people’s purchasing power can return to normal,” said the President to media crew after visiting Rogojampi Market, Banyuwangi regency, East Java province, Wednesday (12/27).

Even though it is not yet visible, the President expressed his belief that people’s purchasing power will increase once the El Nino direct cash assistance distribution is completed. Currently, the direct aid assistance distribution is still ongoing to around 18 million beneficiaries.

“Once the distribution is completed, we will see how much people’s purchasing power will increase,” said the President.

Meanwhile, regarding national food reserves, President Jokowi ensured that our national food reserves are still in a safe condition, because there are 1.4 million tons of food reserves available until the end of 2023.

“Usually our food reserves contain only 800 (thousand tons) to 1.2 (million tons) of food, but now we have already 1.4 (million tons). This amount will increase because there will be more food reserves coming in, but by the end of the year the reserves still amount to 1.4 million (tons),” said the President. (Presidential Secretariat’s Bureau of Press, Media, and Information/BPMI) (TM/MUR)