As for social protection, Rp82.3 trillion or 53.2 percent (of the ceiling budget) has been spent.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The realization of the COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN) Program budget has reached Rp178.1 trillion, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto informed President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Tuesday.

“Regarding the National Economic Recovery (program budget), Rp35.4 trillion has been used for health treatment, which is equivalent to 28.9 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp122.54 trillion, which was utilized (to pay) for patient claims, health workers’ incentives, procurement of vaccines, expansion of health (services), and supporting regional budgets," he said at the presidential office here on Tuesday.

He conveyed the information after attending a limited meeting on the evaluation of community activities restrictions (PPKM) chaired by the President.

The total budget allocation for PC-PEN Program in 2022 was Rp455.6 trillion.

"As for social protection, Rp82.3 trillion or 53.2 percent (of the budget ceiling) has been spent," the minister said.

The fund was used to disburse assistance under the Family Hope Program (PKH) to 10 million beneficiary families (KPM), provide basic necessities cards to 18.8 million KPM, direct cash assistance (BLT) for cooking oil worth Rp7.2 trillion to 23.9 million recipients, Village BLT worth Rp17.1 trillion to 7.5 million KPM, among others.

Furthermore, Rp1.3 trillion of the funds was used for providing assistance to street vendors and fishery stalls, while Rp8.9 trillion of it was spent on 2.5 million participants of the Pre-Employment Card Program.

Meanwhile, for the economic recovery program, Rp60.4 trillion, or 33.8 percent of the Rp178.32 trillion budget ceiling, has been used for various labor-intensive projects, the construction of industrial areas, as well as the provision of tax incentives, Hartarto informed.

The funds have also been utilized to establish food, communication, and information security infrastructure, he said.

Earlier, the government was meant to stop the provision of the KC-PEN Program budget at the end of 2022, he noted.

According to Law Number 2 of 2020 concerning State Finances as well as Financial System Stability for Handling COVID-19, the deficit of state revenue and expenditure budget has only been allowed to exceed 3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for three years—or until 2022.

However, although no further special budget will be allocated for the PC-PEN Program, the government will continue the health and social protection programs.

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Translator: Desca Natalia, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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