"We ask regional governments to allocate a budget in the regional budget to cover vulnerable workers. Of course, it is allocated in accordance with the capability of the provincial or district and city governments," she told the press in Jakarta on Thursday.
This would help ensure that vulnerable workers get social protection, both in terms of health through the program run by state health insurer BPJS Kesehatan and employment through programs offered by social security provider BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, Fauziyah said.
She further said that she supports expanding job opportunities to protect workers.
The government is also helping workers to become entrepreneurs, she pointed out.
"The Ministry of Manpower itself also allocates the same thing. Every year, we provide opportunities for the community, both those who have lost their jobs or those who from the beginning want to become entrepreneurs, there is a program called independent workers (TKM)," she expounded.
She said that her ministry does not only provide capital assistance but also facilities to support networking to advance businesses.
According to data from BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, out of the total 101 million workers eligible for the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan program, as many as 39.2 million are protected through various programs.
Of the number, 2.81 million BPJS Ketenagakerjaan program participants are classified as vulnerable, or those who are at risk of falling into extreme poverty.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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