President Jokowi Ensures Government Will Distribute BLT Residents Affected By El Nino

PADANG - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the government would hand over direct cash assistance (BLT) to people in the country affected by El Nino worth Rp. 400 thousand.

"Because there is a super El Nino, and it should not reduce people's purchasing power, the government will also issue BLT El Nino," said President Joko Widodo in Padang as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 25.

This was conveyed by the President on the sidelines of his working visit to West Sumatra, handing over food assistance to beneficiary families (KPM) in Padang City.

Jokowi said that the El Nino BLT will be handed over directly to the public in November and December 2023 worth Rp. 400 thousand. The government will disburse the assistance through two stages, namely Rp. 200 thousand in November, and Rp. 200 thousand in the December period.

During a working visit to West Sumatra, Jokowi also directly checked the supply of rice at the Bulog warehouse in Padang City. The President ensured that the availability of rice in Bulog's warehouse was sufficient for the needs of the people in Minang. In fact, in the midst of the threat of the West Sumatra dry season, the rice surplus.

"In West Sumatra, the rice surplus," he said.

Despite the rice surplus, the head of state emphasized that rice reserves in each Bulog warehouse must still be prepared to anticipate the worst impact of the long dry season.

"There must be a backup. Therefore, if we look at it earlier, there are a lot of reserves in the Bulog warehouse," he said.