There are quite a lot of West Java residents, who work as farmers and fishermen.
Bandung, W Java (ANTARA) - West Java Regional Legislative Bodies (DPRD) and the provincial government agreed to provide additional social assistance worth Rp50 billion in the revised 2022 Regional Budget (APBD) to help residents affected by the fuel price hike.

"At the initial APBD, it (the assistance) had been budgeted at Rp57.2 billion. Praises be to God, in the revised APBD, we agreed to provide additional (assistance) budget of around Rp50 billion for compensation of (rising) fuel (price)," Deputy Speaker of West Java DPRD Ineu Purwadewi Sundari stated here on Thursday.

Sundari noted that initially, the additional assistance was allocated at Rp27 billion in the revised APBD.

The aid will be disbursed to the province's residents affected by the fuel price adjustment, including farmers, fishermen, disadvantaged people, as well as micro and small business actors, she noted.

"There are quite a lot of West Java residents, who work as farmers and fishermen," the DPRD deputy speaker noted.

In addition, she highlighted several notes regarding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Changes to the General Policy of the Regional Budget (KUA) as well as the MoU on Changes to the Priority Issues of the Temporary Budget Ceiling (PPAS) for the Fiscal Year 2022 that had been agreed by West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil on Wednesday (September 14, 2022).

"There are a number of notes which the West Java Provincial Government must pay attention to, among others, they still have to prioritize the fulfilment of the (public's) needs on mandatory issues, such as education, health, COVID-19 pandemic handling, as well as post-pandemic economic revival," she remarked.

Furthermore, her side lauded the provincial government for preparing the additional aid budget to control regional inflation due to the rising fuel price.

The attempt of West Java DPRD and provincial government aligns with the directive of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who had urged regional leaders to set aside a portion of their regional budget to control the inflation triggered by the recent hike in subsidized fuel prices.

The directive was conveyed at a meeting on inflation control held at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (September 12, 2022).

Related news: MPR deputy speaker calls for transparency in social aid distribution
Related news: Fuel cash aid disbursal ready for 18.4 million beneficiaries: Minister

Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022