Our evaluation of the distribution in 2021 (showed) that the distribution coverage failed to reach 100 percent because a lot of wage subsidy recipients had no accounts with state-owned banks
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The wage subsidy provided by the government this year has been distributed to 10.3 million eligible workers, or 80.3 percent of the 14.6 million targeted recipients, according to Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah.



"Until the seventh phase, we have disbursed (the wage subsidy) to a total of 10,321,436 people, which is equal to 80.30 percent (of the total recipients)," she said after observing wage subsidy distribution at a post office in Rawamangun here on Wednesday.



The government is targeting to provide wage subsidy to 14.6 million workers who meet the criteria of the program, as regulated by Manpower Minister’s Regulation No. 10 of 2022, she added.


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The wage subsidy is being distributed through state-owned banks and postal company PT Pos Indonesia, she said, adding that the distribution of the subsidy through postal services will proceed after the completion of subsidy distribution through state-owned banks.



According to Fauziyah, at least 3.6 million workers are expected to receive the wage subsidy in the seventh disbursement phase through PT Pos Indonesia to accommodate workers who do not have an account with state-owned banks.



To date, at least 1.2 million workers nationwide have received the wage subsidy through the postal company, she said.



"Our evaluation of the distribution in 2021 (showed) that the distribution coverage failed to reach 100 percent because a lot of wage subsidy recipients had no accounts with state-owned banks," the minister informed.


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She affirmed that the ministry will push for quicker completion of wage subsidy disbursement through PT Pos Indonesia.



The government is providing wage subsidy assistance to help eligible workers maintain their purchasing power amid an increase in the prices of goods due to a rise in fuel prices. Under the program, Rp600 thousand is being provided to targeted beneficiaries.



The targeted beneficiaries are workers who meet several requirements: they are Indonesian nationals, active participants in the Workers Social Security Agency's (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan's) program as of July 2022, earn a maximum of Rp3.5 million per month, and are not state civil apparatus or members of the Indonesian military or the police.


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Translator: Prisca Triferna V, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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