Minister of Social Affairs Monitors Phase 3 of BST Distribution in West Java

BANDUNG (4 July 2020) - Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P Batubara made a working visit to the Minister of Social Affairs to review the distribution of Cash Social Assistance (BST) in Bandung Regency and Bandung City on 4 July 2020.

To save the condition of declining economic growth and declining public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the Republic of Indonesia took a policy to provide a social safety net in the form of Cash Social Assistance. The cash assistance of IDR 600,000 was given to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the visit of the Minister of Social Affairs, among others, the distribution of Cash Social Assistance in communities located at the Katapang Village Office, Katapang District, Bandung Regency; distribution of Cash Social Assistance through HIMBARA BNI followed by a visit to the KUBE Mandiri e-warong in Katapang Village, Katapang District, Bandung Regency; distribution of Cash Social Assistance in the community located at the Sekarwangi Village Office, Soreang District, Bandung Regency; and distribution of Cash Social Assistance at the Bandung Post Office located at Jalan Asia Afrika, Bandung City.

At the first point, accompanied by the Director General of Poverty Handling, AsepSasaPurnama, the Director General of Social Protection and SecurityPepenNazaruddin, Head of Education, Research, and Social Counseling AgencyEdi Suharto, Head of Social Education and Research Center Syahabuddin, Regent of Bandung Dadang Muhammad Naser, Head of Social Services for West Java Province Dodo Suhendar, Director of Network and Financial Services of PT Pos Indonesia IhwanSutardiyanta, Director of Human Resources of PT Pos Indonesia BarkahHadimoeljono, and Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Tubagus Ace Hasan Syadzily, Minister of Social Affairs, symbolically handed over Cash Social Assistance to 3 Beneficiary Families (KPM), namely Tia Setiawati, Titin Supartini, and Lili.

Three of them receivedthe Phase 3 Cash Social Assistance. The total recipients in Katapang Village amounted to 758 KPM out of 99,575 KPM which became the Bandung Regency Cash Social Assistance quota.

In his direction, the Minister of Social Affairs said that the distribution of Cash Social Assistance was intended to help the community meet their daily food needs during the pandemic. "This assistance was given by order of the President of the Republic of Indonesia as a social safety net to overcome the pandemic," he said. He also appreciated the performance of PT Pos Indonesia in distributing Cash Social Assistance.

The distribution of Cash Social Assistance has entered the final stage of the 3 distribution stages. Especially in Bandung Regency, the Minister of Social Affairs believes that the Regent of Bandung and his staff will be able to overcome the problems that arise in the distribution of Cash Social Assistance in their area.

"Later, the assistance will be continued at Rp. 300,000 per Beneficiary Family (KPM). Why is the number reduced? Because now is the new normal era, economic activity has started to move. Other economic recovery programs have also started to be launched,” said the Minister of Social Affairs to the media crew present before moving on to the second point of visit.