UNDERPRIVILEGED FAMILIES TO GET NON-CASH FOOD ASSISTANCE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 16 (Antara) - The government is planning to provide Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) and rice social assistance (Rastra) program for about 15.49 million underprivileged families across Indonesia in 2018.          The assistance will be distributed to the beneficiaries who are scattered in 514 districts/municipalities in various parts of the country. The assistance in the BPNT and Rastra programs will be distributed in four stages in February, March, July, and August next year.          Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani stated that the government is ready to distribute the BPNT and the Rastra rice program for 2018.          The minister, after a ministerial coordination meeting on the preparedness of BPNT distribution at her office in Jakarta on Friday, noted that her ministry has prepared technical matters for the distribution of BPNT for the first phase of the program in 2018.          "Data of beneficiaries, by name and by address, have been submitted by the Ministry of Social Affairs to the distributor bank accompanied by the Official Delivery Report," Maharani remarked.

MINISTER LAUNCHES LAST PHASE OF E-WARONG PILOT PROJECT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 28 (Antara) - Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa in Jambi on Friday launched the last phase of the electronic warong (e-warong) pilot project, an electronic grocery store introduced by the government for social assistance recipients since mid-2016.          The government has decided to change the mechanism of its social assistance distribution system from cash-based to cashless through the e-warong project in a bid to prevent disparity in distribution, both in terms of quality and quantity.          Hence, the government was planning to launch at least 300 e-warong across the country designed to serve social assistance beneficiaries. All commodities offered by the shops will be supplied by the State Logistics Board Bulog.          Through the pilot project, the government will no longer conduct cash transactions for distributing the benefits of the Prosperous Family Card (KKS) to its holders. Recipients can use the card at the e-warong to avail social assistance to obtain sugar, cooking oil, and wheat.

POOR FAMILIES BEGIN RECEIVING CASH ASSISTANCE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 22 (Antara) - The government Saturday began distributing Rp9.3 trillion cash assistance to the poor and mobilized ministers to observe its handing out to 15,5 million target families in 15 cities across the country.          The Rp9.3 trillion temporary direct cash assistance (BLSM) will be distributed in two phases in June and in September 2013. It is being provided by the government to alleviate the burden of poor families who would be affected by the impact of the government's policy to increase subsidized fuel oil prices.          The government on Friday night raised the prices of subsidized premium gasoline from Rp4,500 to Rp6,500 per liter and subsidized diesel oil from Rp4,500 to Rp5,500 per liter. The new prices are effective as of 00.00 a.m on Saturday.          Each poor family will receive Rp150,000 in BLSM assistance per month for four months.          Based on the results of the Cabinet Ministers' plenary meeting chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday (June 20), the government will in the first phase distribute the BLSM on June 22 and 24 to recipients amounting to Rp300,000 for each target family in 15 cities across the country.

GOVT LIKELY TO BEGIN CASH HANDOUT SOON FOR POOR FAMILIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 15 (Antara) - The government is expected to begin soon distributing temporary direct cash assistance (BLSM) to 15.4 million target families  if the  House endorses the government's plan to raise subsidized fuel oil prices on Monday.          The direct cash handout still awaits subsidized fuel oil price hikes but it is expected to begin this month, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission VI Atte Sugandi said.          "Cards for BLSM recipients are still under printing process. They will be distributed to target families before they receive the assistance. The assistance itself will be distributed at the end of June or early in July 2013 after the government announces the fuel oil price increases," Atte Sugandi said in North Sumatra on Friday.          Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik said on Wednesday that the fuel oil prices would be raised as soon as the House approved the draft revised state budget during its plenary on Monday (June 17, 2013).          He said that the government has prepared a number of compensation programs for poor people who would be affected by the fuel oil price hikes. This is because price increase was expected to increase inflation by 1.7 percent.          "If the DPR plenary session runs smoothly and endorses the revised draft budget on June 17, 2013, the government will directly announce subsidized fuel oil price hikes," the minister said.