Thus, to reach some (beneficiaries) in Papua, we will have to rent a helicopter.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini has informed that direct cash assistance (BLT) from the transfer of fuel subsidies (BBM) has been distributed in 445 cities and districts in Indonesia so far.

"The government has started the distribution of the BLT from the transfer of fuel subsidies since September 1, 2022, to cover all 514 cities and districts in Indonesia. Currently, it has been disbursed in 445 cities and districts by Pos (state-run postal company PT Pos Indonesia)," she informed during an online discussion on the provision of the social assistance, which was followed from here on Tuesday.

So far, PT Pos Indonesia has received data of 18,469,299 beneficiaries, she informed.

Meanwhile, the data of 330,701 beneficiaries has been corrected due to death or change of address.

Furthermore, the Social Affairs Ministry will devise a strategy with the state-owned enterprise to distribute the assistance to 1.85 million beneficiaries residing in remote areas that cannot be accessed by land.

"For instance, in the highlands of mountainous areas in Papua or in various regions in Kalimantan which require special (logistics) route. We are preparing to serve those (beneficiaries). Thus, to reach some (beneficiaries) in Papua, we will have to rent a helicopter," Rismaharini said.

Related news: Fuel cash aid disbursal ready for 18.4 million beneficiaries: Minister

Still, she assured that the BLT BBM is being provided to the right recipients -- with photos of the latest condition of the beneficiaries’ houses attached to aid distribution reports -- and is easily accessible by the community, especially people with disabilities.

Earlier, the government had tasked the Social Affairs Ministry with handing over BLT BBM totaling Rp12.4 trillion to 20.65 million beneficiaries.

Initially, each beneficiary was meant to receive the assistance in four tranches of Rp150 thousand each. However, the ministry is now disbursing it in two tranches, with the recipients receiving Rp300 thousand in each tranche.

The government is also providing wage subsidy assistance of Rp9.6 trillion to 16 million workers earning a maximum salary of Rp3.5 million per month. The aid is being provided in a single tranche of Rp600 thousand to each recipient.

Further, assistance is being provided for the transportation sector, which is being sourced from 2 percent of local governments’ general transfer funds, namely the general allocation fund (DAU) and revenue sharing funds (DBH). The assistance is worth Rp2.17 trillion in total.

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Translator: Devi Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Suharto
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