"We are ready in connection with the staple food aid," Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs Hartono Laras stated during an online press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
The Ministry of Social Affairs will provide staple food assistance worth Rp600 thousand per family for three months from April to June to help poor and vulnerable families meet their basic requirements, so that they do not return to their villages and hometowns.
During each distribution, food assistance worth Rp300 thousand will be offered twice a month. The government is working with PT Pos Indonesia and online motorcycle taxi service providers to deliver aid to the homes of beneficiary families.
The government's staple food assistance program targets 1.3 million poor and vulnerable families in Jakarta and 600 thousand poor and vulnerable families in the areas of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi.
The Ministry of Social Affairs also continues to distribute social assistance in regular programs, such as the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Staple Food Program.
The PKH, normally distributed three months a year, starting in April, is distributed on a monthly basis to help residents affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The scope of the program was also expanded, from 9.2 million to 10 million beneficiary families.
In addition, the staple food assistance program was increased, from Rp150 thousand to Rp200 thousand per month per family and its scope was expanded, from 15.2 million to 20 million beneficiary families. Related news: 47,588 Jakarta residents undergo rapid test for COVID-19
Related news: Jakarta police operate 24-hour PSBB checkpoints to contain COVID-19
Translator: Desi Purnamawati, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
