The Basic Food Program Encourages Local Economic Movement

DENPASAR (February 28th 2020) - The Director General of Poverty Handling (Dirjen PFM), Andi ZA Dulung closed the Socialization Program for the Poverty Handling Region II Year 2020 with the theme "Increasing Human Resources for Quality Growth".

This outreach activity has been going on since February 26th 2020 and on February 28th 2020 the Director General of PFM, Andi ZA Dulung officially closed the socialization activity as well as providing directions to the participants consisting of representatives of the Provincial and Regency / City Regional Social Services Agency.

In his briefing, the Director General of PFM conveyed that international trade was weakening and the Saudi Arabian Government had temporarily stopped the Umrah pilgrimage due to the corona virus problem. "In this regard, the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo issued a stimulus policy for the Indonesian economy," said the Director General of PFM.

The Director General of PFM explained that one of the stimulus policies was related to the program for poverty handling, namely the basic food program. The basic food program, which previously in January 2020 had received an increase in the value of assistance from IDR 110,000 to IDR 150,000, from March 2020 to August 2020 the value of assistance will be added again by IDR 50,000 / KPM / month.

Starting in March 2020, beneficiary families (KPM) will receive basic food program assistance of IDR 200,000. According to the PFM Director General, the program will be valid for 6 (six) months starting from Meret to August 2020. "Because the corona problem is still unclear how long the recovery will be, so try it first for six months," explained the PFM Director General.

According to the Director General of PFM, this basic food assistance program will help drive the local economy. “There is money that goes directly to KPM's e-wallet so that KPM can spend it directly according to the foodstuffs that are their basic needs. KPM can shop more varied to meet their nutritional needs such as meat, vegetables, eggs, and other foodstuffs that comply with the provisions," explained the Director General of PFM.

In this regard, the Director General of PFM reminded representatives of the provincial and district / city Social Services Agency who participated in the activity so that the distribution of the basic food programs for March can be done at the beginning of the month.