Disbursement of the direct fuel cash assistance is (meant) to alleviate the increasing household burden due to the fuel price hike. (The direct cash assistance) is also to maintain residents' purchasing power amid the ongoing global economic uncertai
Manokwari, West Papua (ANTARA) - The government has disbursed a total of Rp214 billion (US$14.3 million) in direct fuel cash assistance to targeted recipients in West Papua Province.

Head of the West Papua Office of the Finance Ministry’s Directorate General of Treasury Andy Prasetya informed that a total of 356,876 recipient families are targeted to receive the direct cash assistance in the province.



"Disbursement of the direct fuel cash assistance is (meant) to alleviate the increasing household burden due to the fuel price hike. (The direct cash assistance) is also to maintain residents' purchasing power amid the ongoing global economic uncertainty," he said here on Monday.


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Each recipient will receive Rp150 thousand (US$10.05) in assistance for four months from September to December 2022, he added.



Meanwhile, Manokwari Post Office head Johannes Kesaulija confirmed that at least 387 recipients in the region have received the aid in the first phase of disbursement.



The 387 recipients have received Rp300 thousand in direct fuel cash assistance (US$20.1) and Rp200 thousand (US$13.4) in basic food subsidy for September, he said.


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Direct fuel cash assistance is one of the forms of social assistance that the government is providing by diverting the fuel subsidy. At least Rp24.17 trillion (US$1.61 billion) has been set aside by the government for the subsidy.



During a closed-door meeting on August 29, 2022, the government agreed on diverting the fuel subsidy to provide two other forms of social assistance. The first is a wage subsidy of Rp600 thousand (US$40.2) for 16 million workers earning an income of less than Rp3.5 million (US$234.5) per month.



The second assistance will be supplied by regional authorities as additional social benefit to residents and the regional transportation sector by setting aside a portion of their general transfer funds.


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Translator: Tri Adi Santoso, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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