Social Affairs Ministry Channels Rp1.2tn to Quake-torn NTB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Social Affairs Ministry has initiated an emergency response and social protection program for earthquake victims in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The ministry has continued disbursing funds to the province following the disaster.

"The Social Affairs Ministry has distributed Rp1.2 trillion thus far," said the ministry’s expert staffer for Change and Social Dynamics Asep Sasa Purnama at the Communication and Information Ministry office, Jakarta, Monday, August 27.

According to Sasa, after the series of earthquake struck NTB Island from July 29 to August 19, the ministry and the National Police have acted as the coordinators of the rehabilitation and social protection team. 

Read: Police Chief Hands Over Rp19bn to NTB Police

Several other institutions and ministries also lent a hand, such as the Home Affairs Ministry in terms of emergency response, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) for logistics, the Health Ministry, and the Public Works and Housing Ministry. 

Th Social Affairs Ministry has also earmarked a budget to build 1,519 Temporary Housing Units and initiated the coordination to fulfill the needs for food.

"One hundred tons of rice from the Provincial Bulog Storage and regular rice from the Social Affairs Ministry are distributed to increase the stock for West Nusa Tenggara," Sasa explained. 

Read: Lombok Quake Mitigation: Minister, UGM Work on 50 Cluster Houses 

Sasa said the ministry provided 21 thousand packages containing five kilograms of rice and dishes and opened a public kitchen at 12 points. The figure increased in line with the aids from communities.

The government handed out Rp20 million for the families of 565 dead victims or a total of Rp8.4 billion. In addition, Indonesian Red Cross volunteers gave a compensation worth Rp20 million.

The Social Affairs Ministry has also furnished a life insurance fund of Rp900,000 per person for three months and the fixed occupancy assistance amounted to Rp3 million per family. Psychosocial support services by mobilizing facilitators in ten posts centered at Lapangan Supersemar, North Lombok, were also set in motion.

The Social Ministry has continued to hold the Sustainable Social Protection program by providing social security and assistance, such as the Family Hope Program for 325,320 families and prosperous rice (rastra) for 473,049 families.

CAESAR AKBAR