Social Affairs Minister Conveys 3 Proposed Social Aid in Handling COVID-19

JAKARTA (April 8, 2020) - The Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara presented three Special Social Assistance proposals aimed at vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19. One of them includes anticipating the implementation of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) in DKI Jakarta.

 "President Joko Widodo has assigned the Ministry of Social Affairs to distribute special assistance. First, groceries for vulnerable families who live in Jakarta," said Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara at the Work Meeting of Commission VIII DPR RI, in Jakarta, yesterday.

The meeting with Commission VIII on the topic "Reallocation of the COVID-19 Mitigation Budget" was held via video teleconference, chaired by the Chairman of Commission VIII DPR-RI Yandri Susanto. The meeting was attended by deputy chairmen and members with a total of 48 out of 52 members.

Furthermore, according to the Minister of Social Affairs Ari, this basic food assistance is targeted at poor families who are included in the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS), recipients of the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP), work contract teachers, honorary teachers, and residents of flats (Rusun), as well as daily workers who live in DKI Jakarta.

 In accordance with the President's directives, continued the Minister of Social Affairs, the amount of basic food assistance worth IDR 600,000/month will be distributed every week for 3 (three) months. So aid was distributed worth IDR 150,000/week in collaboration with State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMD), and the private sector.

The provision of assistance to this group is specifically related to the implementation of the PSBB, which started in the DKI Jakarta area. "It is estimated that their income will be disrupted during the implementation of the PSBB. The total budget required is IDR 3.6 trillion. If this goes well, then as of April 20 we will start," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

With the help of these staple foods, it is hoped that their needs during the emergency period will be met, and anticipate that they will not go home. Minister of Social Affairs Ari explained, that the data on the Governor of DKI Jakarta's proposal for this special assistance amounted to 1,218,766 Heads of Families (KK) or 2,517,075 people who are currently in the process of matching with DTKS.

Second, basic food assistance to poor families in the Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Bodetabek) areas. The amount of basic food assistance is IDR 600,000/month which will be distributed for 3 (three) months.

"The difference is, for the Bodetabek area the data only refers to the Ministry of Social Affairs' DTKS. DTKS is the only credible data at this time. We don't have time anymore. We have to be fast," said the Minister of Social Affairs. For the Bodetabek area, the assistance will target 576,434 families or 1,647,647 people with a total budget requirement of IDR 1.04 trillion.

Third, Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) outside the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) areas. BLT targets families who are included in the DTKS but do not receive regular social assistance (DTKS Non-National Social Assistance), both the Family Hope Program (PKH) and the Basic Food Program.

In accordance with the President's directives, continued the Minister of Social Affairs, the amount of basic food assistance worth IDR 600,000/month will be distributed every week for 3 (three) months. So aid was distributed worth IDR 150,000/week in collaboration with State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMD), and the private sector.

The provision of assistance to this group is specifically related to the implementation of the PSBB, which started in the DKI Jakarta area. "It is estimated that their income will be disrupted during the implementation of the PSBB. The total budget required is IDR 3.6 trillion. If this goes well, then as of April 20 we will start," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

BLT will target 7,461,586 families out of a total of 9,085,939 families of the National Non-Social Aid DTKS. "BLT is given in the form of money worth IDR 600,000 per family per month. For the mechanism, maybe in the DKI area, you can use transfers, whereas in outside DKI you can go through PT Pos Indonesia," said Ari.

The three types of Special Assistance are part of the Social Assistance Action Plan for Vulnerable Families Affected by COVID-19 which has been prepared by the Ministry of Social Affairs. A total of 4 (four) of them have been running, namely expanding the beneficiaries of the Basic Food Program, increasing the amount of Basic Food Program assistance, improving the quality of PKH, and the initial assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs in the form of 200,000 basic food packages for DKI Jakarta.
 
The Head of Commission VIII DPR-RI Yandri Susanto said Commission VIII DPR-RI agreed to support the special assignment policy of the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs in the Social Safety Network program for vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19.

"We ask the Ministry of Social Affairs to speed up the distribution of social assistance, such as to pay attention to the basic needs of the community and the momentum to face the month of Ramadan and Idul Fitri 1441 H/2020 M," said Yandri.


Public Relations Bureau

Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs