Covid-19; Govt to Continue Providing Social Assistance Next Year

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy confirmed that the distribution of social assistance will be continued in 2021 as ordered by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

“Of course, it will be under some changes, either on the quota allocation or the distribution system,” said Muhadjir in a written statement on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

According to the minister, regular social aid programs that will be resumed include the Family Hope Program (PKH) for 10 million beneficiaries and a staple food package or non-cash food assistance program (BPNT) for 18.8 million recipients.

As for the non-regular social aid program, there would be cash aid for 10 million people from previously 9 million people in 2020. “The distribution of the social aid in 2021 will be under the authority of the Social Affairs Ministry and the Village Ministry under the agreed budget,” he explained.

Muhadjir said the deliberation on budget adjustment for the social aid programs in 2021 would be held in the ministerial-level meeting. The decision would be then brought to a limited cabinet meeting for the President to decide.

“We hope we can hold the meeting soon in early November and so at the end of November, we will present it to a limited meeting. Thus, the preparations for the 2021 social assistance planning can be started as early as possible. We hope it can be immediately distributed in early January at the latest,” said Muhadjir.

Read: Jakarta Increases Covid-19 Budget by Rp300bn

EGI ADYATAMA