Accelerating Poverty Reduction, Minister of Social Affairs Motivates Beneficiaries

SEMARANG (February 14, 2020) – Social Affairs Minister Juliari P. Batubara appreciated the achievements of the Semarang City Government which reduced the poverty rate to 3.98%, far below the national average of 9.22%.

"This is the lowest rate in Indonesia. The national poverty rate also continues to decline. However, poverty must still be suppressed because the population of underprivileged people is still quite large. To accelerate poverty reduction, the spirit of entrepreneurship among KPM must continue to be built," said Juliari during her working visit to Semarang, Central Java, Friday (14/02/2020).

Accompanied by Director General of Poverty Handling (Dirjen PFM) Andi ZA Dulung and Mayor of Semarang Hendrar Prihadi, Juliari witnessed the distribution of the 2020 Basic Food Program Social Assistance at E-Warong KUBE Mandiri Jaya in Bojongsalaman Village, West Semarang District.

The Minister of Social Affairs hopes that if he visits Semarang City again, the KPM will no longer receive assistance because they are independent and prosperous.

The Minister stated that in order to be prosperous, there needs to be an entrepreneurial strategy for KPM. KPM who have excellent and capable entrepreneurs can apply for financing through banks, government programs, and Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) Mekaar.

"The Ministry of Social Affairs is given the task by the President to help temporarily for underprivileged people but besides that, it also helps or strives for empowerment so that the economy of KPM is better," said the Minister.

On the same occasion, the Director General of PFM explained that it was not easy to increase the assistance index from IDR110 thousand to IDR150 thousand because it had to adjust the budget.

"However, it has become the Minister's commitment to run in accordance with the President's direction that the assistance index becomes IDR150,000 per KPM per month," said Andi Dulung.

Data from the Directorate General of PFM, the beneficiaries of the Basic Food Program in Central Java Province are 4,183,935 spread across 35 regencies/cities. For Semarang City, until 2020 there are 41,326 KPM worth IDR. 6,198,900,000 per month or IDR. 74,386,800,000, - for 12 months.

The event was attended by 1,000 beneficiaries of the social food assistance program from West Semarang District. The number of e-warongs in Semarang City is 255, consisting of 60 KUBE e-warongs, 174 BNI 46 agents, and 21 RPKs.

For West Semarang District, there are 30 e-warongs consisting of 5 KUBE e-warongs, 24 BNI 46 agents and 1 RPK. There are 18 food assistance companions in Semarang City, consisting of 1 supervisor, 1 cortex/chord, and 16 sub-district food assistance companions.

The Director General of PFM reminded e-Warong managers to sell local fruits for other foodstuffs in the form of fruits sold in e-warong.

"If local fruits are sold, the profits from these sales can be enjoyed by the surrounding community," said the Director General.

In addition, Mandiri Jaya e-Warong also provides rice, eggs, catfish, chicken meat, pears, tofu, tempeh, green beans, and vegetables.

Public Relations Bureau

Ministry of Social Affairs