Starting This Month, Beneficiaries of the Sembako Program Get Aid Index Increase

JAKARTA (March 2, 2020) - As of this March 2020, the Government through the Ministry of Social Affairs (Social Ministry) has added the index of food social assistance of IDR 50,000 per KPM (Beneficiary Family).

Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara asked the beneficiaries to immediately spend the money, so that it can move the economy.

"Starting this March, we have added the Sembako (Nine Basic Commodities) Program index of Rp 50,000 per KPM. Thus, the original index was IDR 150,000/KPM/month to IDR 200,000/KPM/month. I urge the KPM to immediately spend these additional funds, so that it can move the economy, "said the Minister of Social Affairs, in Jakarta, Monday (02/03/2020).

The Minister said, the increase was as part of fiscal instrument to tackle the impacts of the corona virus (COVID-19) spread on the Indonesian economy.

The government is preparing a fiscal instrument worth IDR 10 trillion in which the IDR 4.56 trillion is managed by Ministry of Social Affairs. An additional IDR 50,000 of the nine-basic commodities was added to the 15.2 million KPM account of the Sembako Program over the next six months, or until August 2020.

This policy was adopted, said the Minister of Social Affairs Juliari, because the estimated impact of the disease caused by the corona virus was quite serious, which was feared to cause a slowdown in the Indonesian economy.

Anticipation to maintain the level of public consumption, including KPM of social assistance, is paramount. "This is a crash program, which is the government's response to keep consumption of the lowest economic level so as not to be disturbed by the economic slowdown," Social Minister Juliari said.

"If within six months the economic prospect has improved, the index of the Sembako Program will return to IDR 150,000 per month," said the Minister. But if the increase is still needed to maintain consumption, it will be extended in accordance with the government's decision.

Starting in 2020, the government has transformed the Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) program to the Sembako Program. This step is a breakthrough to improve community welfare.

While the index of BPNT Program is IDR 110,000/KPM/month, the index of Sembako Program is IDR 150,000/KPM/month. The original commodities were just rice and or eggs. The Sembako Program adds other food commodities containing carbohydrates (corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, sago, and other tubers), animal protein (chicken, meat, fish), vegetable protein (tofu, tempeh and nuts) as well as minerals and vitamins (vegetables and fruits).

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Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs