Risma noted that 33,674,865 people from 10 million households were recorded as the recipients of the benefit.
"Total recipients of the benefit reached 33,674,865. The benefit value is sufficient, and it is expected to be adequate to support the recipients amid the pandemic," Risma noted in an official statement received here Thursday.
The PKH assistance encompassed health care, education, and social welfare benefits aimed at supporting health care for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding mothers and their children; education services for students; and benefits for the elderly and people with disabilities.
"The households receiving the PKH assistance can be eligible for more than one benefit. If there is a pregnant mother and a child (in a family), they will receive two benefits at once. Hence, the benefit value depends on each family," Risma explained.
PKH benefits for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding mothers are limited to the second pregnancy and for up to two children up to six years of age. Each is offered Rp3 million (around US$205) for a year.
Education benefits granted to primary school students reach Rp900,000 (around US$61.5), junior high school students receive Rp1.5 million (around US$102), while senior high school students are to be granted Rp2 million (around US$136) all for a year.
Elderly and disability benefits both are limited to one person per family, with each receiving Rp2.4 million (around US$164) for one year.
Apart from providing PKH assistance, the government also distributed food aid equivalent to Rp200,000 (around US$13) for 18.8 million families and Rp200,000 (around US$13) of social support funding for 10 million families each month.
Budget totaling some Rp85.7 trillion (around US$5.8 billion) has been prepared by the government for the three social assistance programs.
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The ministry has already distributed the social support fund for the May-June period for 10 million recipient families and food aid for July-August for 18.8 million recipient families.
The government has readied Rp7.08 trillion (around US$484 million) for 5.9 million recently reported new families eligible to receive the benefit.
"They (the new 5.9 million recipient families) are completely new recipients. The data is provided by the regional government. Each family will receive Rp200,000 (around US$13) for six months from July to December 2021," Risma stated.
The government distributed 10 kilograms of rice each to 10 million PKH beneficiary families, 10 million food aid recipient families, and another 8.8 million social support fund recipient families.
"It is the Perum Bulog (state-owned food logistics company) that distributes (the rice aid), while the Social Ministry provides only the recipient data for the Finance Ministry," Risma stated.
The ministry also recently procured 2,010 tons of rice to be distributed to informal workers affected by the PPKM enforcement in the Java-Bali provinces. Workers eligible for the rice benefits are food stall owners, motorcycle taxi drivers, daily workers, and other affected workers.
For the distribution, the ministry channeled three thousand packages, with each package comprising five kilograms of rice, to 122 cities and districts and six thousand packages for each provincial capital.
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Translator: Devi NS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
