Greeting Idulfitri, Social Minister Ensures Social Assistance Reaches the KPM

JAKARTA (May 25, 2020) - Minister of Social  affairs Juliari P Batubara congratulated Eid al-Fitr 1441 Hijriah to Muslims throughout the country. He urged the whole community to stay motivated to face this pandemic and hope it will end soon. "My muslim brothers and sisters, let's keep praying that this problem can be passed soon. The minister also ensures that the country continues to work to help people affected by COVID-19," juliari said, through his instagram account @juliaribatubara, quoted in a written statement, Monday, May 25, 2020.

Previously, Minister Juliari, together with his rank, and the President Director of PT Pos went down directly to various corners of the region to check and ensure the distribution of social assistance (bansos), both of basic food assistance and cash social assistance delivered to the hands of beneficiary families (KPM). Down the land route, two days before Eid, The minister visited four cities in Central Java to ensure the bansos reached the hands of the HDI. Then in the morning until the afternoon of H-1 (Saturday, May 23, 2020) a few hours before takbir, the father of two children is still on duty.

The Minister of Social Affairs checks the cash social assistance distribution process in Bekasi Regency, Bogor Regency, and Bogor City. "I make sure,cash social assistance has reached to KPM on the night of the takbiran," said Juliari, recently. From the results of direct checks to the field in various regions, the Minister of Social Affairs concluded that the social assistance distribution process is getting better, smoother, and more orderly. Of the millions of social assistance recipients, it is only natural that there are one or two cases that may be less than perfect.

"Distributing assistance to nine million heads of families (KK) in a matter of weeks, is not an easy job. I have witnessed it myself, the majority of people can be orderly. Sit quietly waiting for their turn to be called by the officers at the Post Office. Then also wear a mask, and follow the rules of guarding distance, "he said. Juliari invites the media to pay attention and appreciate the fact of this good majority. Then, also provide a reasonable portion of the publications for the other one or two cases.

Secretary General (Sekjen) of the Ministry of Social Affairs Hartono Laras stated, in dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Social Affairs organizes social protection through a regular program, the Family Hope Program (PKH), which targets 10 million families for 34 provinces in 514 regecies / cities. "Previously, PKH was distributed once every three months. Starting April, it will be distributed every month, ”said Hartono.

Then the Non-Cash Food Assistance Program ( Basic food Assistance Program), which targets 20 million families, for 34 provinces in 514 districts / cities. The basic food program is distributed every month and there is an increase in the value of assistance from IDR 150 thousand to IDR 200 thousand per KPM per month. "In both regular programs, data on social assistance recipients is taken from the Social Welfare Integrated Data Center (DTKS) whose data is updated by the local government, and determined once every three months by the Minister of Social Affairs," said Hartono. "They must also receive assistance immediately. Alhamdulillah, PKH has completely distributed, including to the additional recipients. Meanwhile, theNon-Cash Basic Food Program (BPNT) is only a few remaining to be completely distributed, especially the remainder for additional recipients, "he said.

In addition to the regular program, the Ministry of Social Affairs was also given the task by President Jokowi to implement a social safety net policy. This policy is implemented through two non-regular cash social assistance schemes, namely Basic Food Social Assistance and Cash Social Assistance. The Presidential Assistance for Basic Food Services covers people affected by COVID-19 for the DKI Jakarta area with a target number of 1.3 million families. The value of assistance is IDR 600 thousand per month per family for three months (distributed twice a month).

The two programs, namely PKH and the Basic Food Program (BPNT), reach a very large number of families. So according to Hartono, during this pandemic period, the two programs must also be channeled immediately to secure poor people who have had difficulty living and are very vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19.

Basic Food Social Assistance also reaches 600 thousand affected families in the border areas of DKI Jakarta (namely, parts of Bogor Regency, Bekasi City, Depok, Tangerang City and South Tangerang City). The value of assistance is IDR 600 thousand per month per family for three months (distributed twice a month). Then for Cash Social Assistance (BST), it reaches nine million families in 33 provinces in 503 districts / cities outside Jabodetabek (excluding PKH recipients and the Basic Food Program). The value of social assistance is IDR 600 thousand per month per family for three months. The assistance was disbursed by PT Pos and state banks.

"For the two non-regular social assistance schemes, recipient data is proposed by regions (regencies / cities) according to the ceiling allocation. Can refer to DTKS in their respective regions that have not received PKH and the Basic Food Program (BPNT). It could also be included non-DTKS families who were affected by COVID-19, ” said Hartono.

Non-DTKS families affected by COVID-19 are those who are unable to fulfill their basic needs, informal sector workers, day laborers, and people who suddenly lose their source of livelihood. They have the potential to become poor recently - or enter the lowest socio-economic conditions (lower tier) society.