Because the dry season is so long, the prices of basic necessities are soaring, especially rice. The government will try to help the public with this assistance.Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo distributed El Nino assistance in the form of direct cash (BLT) to a number of beneficiaries at the Pekalongan Post Office, Central Java province, on Wednesday.
The BLT was disbursed as part of the government's effort to maintain people's purchasing power amid a rise in prices due to prolonged drought.
El Nino is a natural phenomenon that can pose weak to moderate threats, for instance, by disrupting water supply and potentially causing drought and a decline in agricultural food production activities.
"Because the dry season is so long, the prices of basic necessities are soaring, especially rice. The government will try to help the public with this assistance," Widodo said.
He said that the assistance can be used for daily and nutritional needs.
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"What do you want to use it for? The most important thing is child and family nutrition fulfillment," he said during a chat with beneficiaries.
In addition, he noted that the beneficiaries who attended the aid disbursal event will also receive government rice reserve food assistance (CBP), whose distribution was started in September 2023.
"You will receive rice assistance of 10 kilograms per month. It started in September (and will continue) until this December, right?" he asked the beneficiaries.
Widodo said that the rice distribution will continue until March 2024. Similar assistance would also be provided in the succeeding months.
"Well, if the state budget is still available, we will add more in April, May, June," he added.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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