In this pandemic situation, all feel they deserve to receive the social aid, whereas we have to prioritize those, who are really struggling the most and in desperate need.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian President's Executive Office (KSP) staff directly scrutinized the distribution of social aid for people impacted by the enforcement of public activity restrictions (PPKM) in Medan City, North Sumatra.

KSP Chief Expert Brian Sri Prahastuti remarked that the monitoring activities were conducted in accordance with the president's instructions for all governmental levels to ensure the distribution of social aid is on target.

"We came to randomly select several urban villages to monitor the distribution of social aid," Prahastuti remarked while reviewing the distribution process at Simpang Tanjung, Medan Sunggal Sub-district, Medan, North Sumatra, Friday, August 6, as quoted from the KSP press release received here on Saturday.

Prahastuti noted that the social aid program is part of the government's focus and responsibility for implementing the PPKM policy.

The KSP chief expert noted that the government had distributed social assistance through the Family Hope Program (PKH), social cash aid, rice aid, electricity, internet data packages, and assistance for MSMEs affected by PPKM.

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"Alhamdulillah (praise to be God), the distribution of social aid really reached the community target, and I witnessed the distribution was in order and complied with the health protocols," she stated.

Head of Lalang Urban Village of Medan Sunggal Sub-district, Jalaludin Nasir Pohan admitted to the provision of social aid to the impacted community being immensely helpful in the midst of the pandemic situation.

However, Pohan pointed to his team having encountered some obstacles in determining the criteria of residents eligible to receive social aid.

"In this pandemic situation, all feel they deserve to receive the social aid, whereas we have to prioritize those, who are really struggling the most and in desperate need," he remarked.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo also directed ministers to promptly disburse social assistance to people affected the most by the enforcement of PPKM.

"I have instructed the relevant ministers to disburse social assistance to the people entitled to it soon," the president stated at a press conference on the enforcement of PPKM, streamed via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

To help placate the financial burden on the affected people, the government has raised the budget for social protection by Rp55.21 trillion, including for social cash assistance (BST), village cash assistance (BLT), family hope program (PKH) assistance, basic necessity assistance, internet quota assistance, and electricity subsidies, the head of state noted.

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Translator: Rangga J, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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