The distribution has already reached 508 districts and cities. The number of recipients has also reached almost 20 million, or 19,955,471 peopleJakarta (ANTARA) - Some 19.9 million people, or 96.6 percent of the total beneficiaries, have received direct cash assistance (BLT) from the diversion of fuel subsidies (BBM), according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) .
"The distribution has already reached 508 districts and cities. The number of recipients has also reached almost 20 million, or 19,955,471 people," Jokowi remarked after the handover of wage subsidy assistance (BSU) in Ternate, North Maluku, Wednesday.
The president is optimistic that the distribution of BLT BBM can increase the people's purchasing power and consumption. Thus, economic growth will be maintained.
"We want to increase the people's purchasing power and their consumption. If we achieve that, it will boost growth in macroeconomics," he noted.
Jokowi remarked that as of this Wednesday, BSU had been distributed to around 48.34 percent of the beneficiaries.
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He said that Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah will continue to accelerate the distribution of BSU in all regions.
"Minister Fauziyah will accelerate the distribution, especially for regions far from the capital city. I will monitor it as well," he remarked.
The BLT BBM and BSU programs are part of the social safety net provided by the government after the diversion of fuel subsidy spending that resulted in an increase in the price of pertalite and diesel fuel. The amount of social assistance, as a result of the diversion of the fuel subsidy, is set by the government at Rp24.17 trillion.
Three types of social support provided by the government comprise BLT for 20.65 million recipients, with an aid value of Rp150 thousand, that will be given four times, with the total budget reaching Rp12.4 trillion.
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The other form of support is the wage subsidy assistance, valued at Rp600 thousand per person for 16 million workers, with a maximum salary of Rp3.5 million per month that is paid once, with a budget of Rp9.6 trillion.
The last is assistance from the regional government using two percent of the general transfer funds, namely general allocation funds and revenue-sharing funds of Rp2.17 trillion, as a form of assistance for the transportation sector, such as for public transportation, motorcycle taxis, fishermen, as well as additional social protection assistance.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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