GOVERNMENT IMPROVING DISTRIBUTION OF RICE FOR POOR

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, April 22 (Antara) - The government is now intensifying supervision and improving the distribution of about 2.8 million tons of rice for the poor (raskin) allocated for 15.5 million target families across the country this year.          As part of its social protection policies for the poor, the government, since 2008, has provided 19.21 million tons of raskin worth Rp97 trillion, until 2013. Each poor family has been allocated 15 kg raskin per month at a price of Rp1.6 thousand per kg.          "The raskin program contributes 40 percent of the need for rice to a poor family, which reaches about 38 to 40 kg per month," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono informed the Raskin Coordination Team's meeting here on Monday.          Earlier, the chief minister for people's welfare stated that the government had done a lot of things so far, to improve the distribution of raskin to the recipients. "We have made improvements in the allocation of raskin distribution," stated Agung Laksono on Thursday (April 10).