Dissemination of Refocusing and Reallocation of Ministry/Institutional Expenditures for Handling the Covid-19 Pandemic

JAKARTA (July 21, 2021) – Director General of Social Rehabilitation, Harry Hikmat attended the Dissemination of Refocusing and Reallocation of Expenditures of Ministries/Institutions for Handling the Covid-19 Pandemic through a zoom meeting organized by the Directorate General of Budget, Ministry of Finance. This activity was led directly by the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

The Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, revealed that the Government increased the budget allocation for social protection and efforts to accelerate distribution to maintain purchasing power for the poor and vulnerable groups and affected workers with the previous total allocation of Rp 153.8 T to Rp 187.8 T.

"The Covid-19 condition has forced us to continue to make adaptations and adjustments, including in carrying out activity programs that have been prepared or planned for this fiscal year, forcing the Government through the Ministry of Finance to refocus the budget," said the Minister of Finance.

The increase in the budget is needed to help people who have to carry out micro-scale restrictions so that they have lost job opportunities or their income has decreased significantly since the enactment of the Emergency Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

Therefore, the Government has decided to increase the amount of social assistance from various social protection policy schemes that will be provided to the community, especially in poor and vulnerable conditions.

The social protection policy scheme consists of the PKH Program, Basic Food Card Program, Cash Social Assistance Program, Village Cash Direct Assistance, Bulog Rice Assistance, PPKM Basic Food Cards, Electricity Discounts, Rekmin Assistance for Load/Abodement Fees, Pre-Employment Programs and Labor Wage Subsidy Assistance and Assistance Internet Quota. Of all the social protection policy schemes, the Government's support for the community and small businesses was strengthened through a social protection program of Rp 187.8 trillion.

"Now the Ministry of Social Affairs is also receiving requests from the Regions to add 5.9 million families to get basic food assistance of 200 thousand per/month starting from July to December 2021. With the addition of basic food assistance of 5.9 million families, it will provide benefits for people affected by Covid -19", said the Minister of Finance.