Jokowi Helps Anies Subsidize 2.5mn Jakartans Affected by Covid-19

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo planned to provide the Jakarta provincial administration with a subsidy for 2.5 million people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. The central government will design a social safety net for the city residents.

The president claimed he received reports from Governor Anies Baswedan that some 3.6 million people in the capital need government’s assistance. The city administration, however, had distributed subsidies for 1.1 million people.

“Jakarta Governor says 3.6 million people need to be listed in the social safety net program, but Jakarta has helped 1.1 million people, so only 2.5 million people left,” said the state head during a limited meeting via a video conference from Bogor Presidential Palace, Thursday, April 2.

Earlier, the president increased the budget in the 2020 State Budget for the handling of the Covid-19 to Rp405.1 trillion. The fund allocation was noted in the Government Regulation in lieu of law on state financial policies and financial system stability issued along with the passage of Government Regulation on large-scale social restriction or PSBB.

Of the budget, Rp110 trillion will be used for the social safety net program, including the additional budget for programs of staple food card, pre-employment card, and electricity subsidy.

Jokowi also ordered all his staffers to accelerate the implementation of incentives for workers in the informal sector.

DEWI NURITA