JAKARTA (11 October 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs is tasked with handling the Covid-19 pandemic that has hit the country. With an increasing budget of Rp. 134.008 trillion, the Ministry of Social Affairs is tasked with implementing social safety net programs in the form of various types of social aid for tens of millions of beneficiary families (KPM).

One of the social aid programs is the Rice Social Assistance (BSB). As for the City of Surabaya, the Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara and the Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, just launched BSB for Surabaya citizens last week. BSB reaches 10 million KPM of the Family Hope Program (PKH).

Senior journalist Andy F. Noya said the role of the Ministry of Social Affairs in suppressing the social impacts of the pandemic was very strategic and fundamental. With social aid, both in the form of basic necessities or cash has reached tens of millions of people affected by the crisis.

"Whether we realize it or not, working at the Ministry of Social Affairs has more value than other ministries, especially in the midst of this pandemic," said Andy F Noya when he was an interviewee at the Ministry of Social's Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Friday.

According to him, the Ministry of Social Affairs managed to record a great performance during this pandemic. As the ministry with the largest budget ceiling of IDR 134.008 trillion, the Ministry of Social Affairs has succeeded in realizing the highest budget absorption, which is 81.23%, as of 10 October 2020.

Andy continued, this achievement is also in line with the findings of a number of leading survey institutions in the country such as Charta Politika and Cyrus Network which stated that the distribution of social aid is right on target.

"In fact, the House of Parliament, which is very critical, has expressed its appreciation for the performance of the Ministry of Social Affairs," said the founder of the non-profit organization Benih Baik.

Meanwhile, Minister of Social Affairs Juliari emphasized that the Ministry of Social's achievement was due to the hard work and dedication of all levels of the Ministry of Social Affairs, both in terms of social aid distribution and accelerating budget absorption.

"Even though there were many revisions to the budget and we were given new assignments by the President, we are grateful to be able to carry out all of them well," he said.

Furthermore, Juliari advised all levels of the Ministry of Social Affairs to always work wholeheartedly and humanity oriented.

"We need to always work seriously because there are so many people out there who still need our help," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

Bureau of Public Relations 
Ministry of Social Affairs