Ministry of Social Affairs Provides Cash Social Assistance for 102,727 KPM in Tangerang Regency

TANGERANG (April, 25th 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) began providing Cash Social Assistance (Bansos) to 102,727 beneficiary families (KPM) affected by COVID-19 in Tangerang Regency.

The Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P Batubara said that the Ministry of Social Affairs received data on aid recipients from the local government through a verification and validation process in accordance with the provisions. "Receiving data on aid recipients from the local government by verifying the integrated data, so that existing beneficiaries, such as The Family Hope Program (PKH) and others, no longer receive cash assistance," said the Minister of Social Affairs at the Cash Social Assistance Distribution event at the Curug Post Office, Tangerang Regency.

For the mechanism of this Cash Social Assistance program, it is explained that the distribution will be made through the accounts of the Association of State Banks (Himbara) and PT Pos by being given directly from house to house.  "It is distributed via PT Pos, especially for beneficiaries who do not have a state bank account. But this is only symbolic, the rest will be given directly from house to house so that it is orderly because now we have to make social distancing, "said the Minister of Social Affairs.

The Minister of Social Affairs emphasized that this Cash Social Assistance was given to KPM affected by COVID-19 who had never received assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs.  "If we have received the PKH (Family Hope Program) we will eliminate it, include those who receive the Staple Food Program. For persons who are not PKH and BPNT beneficiaries, also get assistance although there is no COVID-19," explained the Minister of Social Affairs.

The provision of Cash Social Assistance for KPM affected by COVID-19 who has never received assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs is because currently many people are burdened and become difficult due to COVID-19 outbreak.  "Currently, many people whose live were not difficult before, now become difficult because of the COVID-19 epidemic and needed help too," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

On the same occasion, the Director General for the Management of the Poor (Dirjen PFM), Asep Sasa Purnama said that this Cash Social Assistance was intended to increase the resilience of basic needs for KPM affected by COVID-19. "This program is intended to help improve the resilience of the basic needs of Beneficiary Families who are poor and vulnerable families affected by COVID-19," said the Director General of PFM.

The Director General of PFM hopes that with this Cash Social Assistance the community will be able to survive the COVID-19 period. "Through this cash social assistance, of course we hope that the community will be able to survive until the Covid-19 period passes," said the Director General of PFM.

The Cash Social Assistance (Bansos) will be distributed to 9,000,000 (nine million) Beneficiary Families (KPM) with an assistance value of IDR 600,000 (six hundred thousand rupiah) per KPM per month. The period for providing cash assistance will be carried out for 3 (three) months, starting from April to June 2020.