Checking Cash Assistance Disbursement in Surakarta, Social Minister Asks the Regional Government to Synchronize Data

SURAKARTA (29 January 2021) - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini accompanied the Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendi to distribute cash assistance at the Jebres Village Office, Jebres District, Surakarta City, Friday.

The cash assistance is Sembako Program (BPNT), Family Hope Program (PKH), and Cash Social Aid.

“This year, we distribute the Cash Social Aid (BST) from January to April to handle the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Later, it will be evaluated and to be extended if deemed necessary. We will wait for the developments of the pandemic conditions,"

However, she continued, other assistance such as Sembako Program and PKH would still continue.

"We will solve the unsynchronized (poverty) data between regional and central government. There are some unmatched data with the Population Data. Therefore, we ask the regional government to correct it," said Social Minister Risma.

Risma also stated that the Ministry of Social Affairs had made improvement on beneficiary (KPM) data in the first and second week of January.

"We have written to approximately 40 regional governments to synchronize the data with the population data,” she said.

The Ministry of Social Affairs distributed cash assistance to poor and vulnerable families affected by the pandemic to accelerate the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and encourage National Economic Recovery (PEN).

The BPNT/Sembako Program worth IDR 200,000/month/KPM is distributed every month in 2021 through the State-Owned Banks Association or Himbara (BNI, BRI, Mandiri, BTN). PKH is disbursed in four stages or once in three months. Meanwhile, BST is distributed in the amount of IDR 300,000/month from January to April through PT Pos Indonesia.

In Central Java Province, cash assistance targets KPMs spread across 35 regencies/cities. The Sembako Program distributed a total of IDR 616.8 billion for 3,084,000 KPM. Meanwhile, PKH distributed a total value of Rp1.04 trillion for 1,568,211 KPM and BST distributed a total of IDR 359.3 billion for 1,197,789 KPM.

In Surakarta City, three cash assistance was distributed to KPM spread across 5 sub-districts, namely the Sembako Program worth IDR 6.17 billion per month for 33,950 KPM; PKH with a total assistance of IDR 11.13 billion for 16,421 KPM; and BST with a total aid of IDR 18.15 billion for 60,511 KPM.

The Mayor of Surakarta F.X. Hadi Rudiyatmo, echelon 1 officials of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministry and the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Social Office for Central Java Province, and the Social Office for the City of Surakarta also attended the event.