9,695 Underprivileged Households In Central Java Receive Free Electricity Installation Assistance

Illustration of installing electricity (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) provides free electricity connections through the Electricity New Installation Assistance (BPBL) program for the 2022 budget year to 9,695 poor households in Central Java.

This BPBL program is an activity of the Directorate General of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and has full support from Commission VII of the DPR RI.

This was conveyed by the Director of Development of the Wanhar Electricity Program at the Inauguration and First Inauguration of the BPBL Program in Baledono Village, Purworejo District, Purworejo Regency on Saturday, May 13.

"The realization of BPBL recipients in Central Java province in 2022 is 9,695 households. For Purworejo Regency, 367 households have been connected spread across 13 sub-districts," Wanhar told the media, Monday, May 15.

He said that in 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources targets as many as 80,000 households to get free electricity connections through the BPBL program. Realization by the end of 2022 managed to turn on beyond the target of 80,183 households or 100.2 percent.

Furthermore, Wanhar explained that according to the results of the Working Meeting of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources with Commission VII of the DPR RI on September 22, 2022, the 2023 APBN allocation has been approved to continue the BPBL Program as many as 83,000 households spread across 34 provinces.

Along the way, in April 2023 a revision of the DIPA has been carried out so that this number has increased to 125,000 households sourced from the use of the remaining budget for other activities.

"In 2023, Central Java Province itself is planned to receive an allocation of 15,000 households receiving BPBL," explained Wanhar.

On the same occasion, Member of Commission VII H. Abdul Kadir Karding said the government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and PLN had the aspiration of not having electricity. "It is the duty of the state, the state must be present to meet the needs of the community, namely electricity," said Abdul.

He said that electricity has become the main need of the community, in addition to functioning as lighting, it also functions as energy in developing all efforts and daily activities.

Vice President of Sales of PT PLN (Persero) Rudiana Nurhadian stated that as a form of PLN's support for the government's plan to improve the standard of living of the underprivileged, one of which is the equal distribution of access and acceleration of the provision of electricity, PLN and partners will join hands, synergize, collaborate and work together to carry out the noble task of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, namely the BPBL Program.

"This BPBL program is proof of PLN's commitment to contribute to improving the standard of living of underprivileged people and electricity for a better life," said Rudiana.