Gradually, we have to revise the target, so that the subsidy can be enjoyed by genuinely poor families."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that the delivery of energy subsidy, including for fuel oil and the three-kilogram (kg) liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), should reach its target of poor families.

"I want to stress here that energy subsidy, which is aimed at benefiting poor families, should be on target," the president stated at the opening of a closed-door meeting on the integrated distribution of energy subsidy here, Friday.

The meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Puan Maharani, State Secretary Pratikno, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignatius Jonan, Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and other cabinet ministers.

President Jokowi remarked that the government will allocate Rp32.3 trillion ($2.43 billion) for fuel oil and the three-kg LPG subsidy in 2017 and Rp45 trillion ($3.38 billion) for electricity subsidy.

"Currently, poor families were not the only ones enjoying the governments electricity subsidy of 900 volt amperes. Gradually, we have to revise the target, so that the subsidy can be enjoyed by genuinely poor families," the president remarked.

He reiterated that the policy to offer energy subsidy to poor families has become the governments main concern.

"I also received information that 65 percent of the subsidy for three-kg LPG cylinders was enjoyed by families that did not meet the eligibility criteria," he added.

Jokowi has called to integrate the delivery of subsidized LPG cylinders with other poverty eradication programs, including the Prosperous Family Saving Card (KKS).

"Subsidized LPG delivery could be integrated with KKS, thus it could be on target and reach poor families and small and micro businesses, which deserve the subsidy," the president stated.

The government has also designed the KKS for farmers to buy subsidized fertilizers and for fishermen to buy diesel oil.

(Reported by Desca Lidya Natalia/Uu.S022/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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