Kaltara Provincial Government Adds A Thousand Free Electricity New Installation Quota For Underprivileged Residents

TANJUNG SELOR - The Provincial Government (Pemprov) of North Kalimantan (Kaltara) through the Kaltara Energy and Mineral Resources Service (ESDM), will increase the quota for free Electricity New Installation Assistance (BPBL) in five regencies/cities.

Acting Head of the ESDM Kaltara Agency (Kadis) Adi Hernadi Ismail Syah through the Head of the Electricity Division, Abdul Muis, said the additional quota would be given to 1,000 underprivileged families (KK).

This is in accordance with the direction of the Governor of Kaltara, who instructed him to immediately send a verification team to the homes of people who needed the assistance of installing the electricity.

"We are mapping out any locations for electric installation in all regencies/cities in North Kalimantan such as Bulungan, Malinau, Nunukan, Tana Tidung (KTT) and Tarakan regencies," he said, Thursday, February 22.

A total of 1,000 families received assistance in Kaltara, namely in Bulungan Regency 366 families, Tarakan City 326 families, Nunukan Regency 198 families, Malinau Regency 36 families and Tana Tidung Regency 74 families.

"Regarding the location and beneficiaries, we are still waiting for data from the field team and matching it with data provided by Bappeda as well as direct requests from the local sub-district," he explained.

The free electricity installation assistance for each KK received assistance of 4 A or 900 VA, with 3 lamppoints, 1 sub contact and 1 grounding and the home electricity installation facility has become a package along with electrical installations.

"We are still waiting for the decision letter from the Governor, the system through the procurement of E Purchasing will take a while, it is estimated that it will be done in March at the earliest," he said.

Abdul Muis hopes that this free electricity install assistance can get support from the community and all related parties, this will be done as soon as possible so that it can support the strategic stunting reduction program in Kaltara.

Since 2021-2022, the North Kalimantan Provincial Government has distributed New Electricity Installation Assistance (BPBL) to 514 poor households, and in 2024 it will again distribute to 1,000 households.