Government Allocates Rp1.8 Trillion for Aceh, North Sumatra-South Sumatra

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has prepared a budget of Rp. 1.8 trillion for regular social assistance (bansos) for beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Sembako Assistance (BPNT) in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

The Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Saifullah Yusuf said the amount of the budget for the first quarter of 2026 in three provinces, which are currently in the post-flood disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.

"The total budget of more than Rp. 1.8 trillion for the first quarter of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, the target is based on the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN) resulting from the BPS update," said the Minister of Social Affairs, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 27.

According to him, the mechanism for distributing social assistance in this period will still be channeled through two channels, namely government-owned banks which are members of the State-Owned Bank Association (Himbara) and PT Pos Indonesia.

The Ministry of Social Affairs confirmed that the distribution of regular social assistance as a whole would begin in February, as the target was presented in a cross-ministerial coordination meeting some time ago in Jakarta.

BPNT in 2026 is given a value of Rp. 200,000 per month to each Family of Beneficiaries (KPM). The assistance is distributed per stage every quarter. In one period, the total assistance received is worth Rp. 600,000 for January, February, and March.

Meanwhile, the amount of PKH assistance varies according to the recipient category, including school-age children, the elderly (elderly) over 60 years of age, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and young children (Rp225 thousand - Rp750 thousand).

The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah, hopes that the distribution of the first phase of social assistance can be carried out on time and on target to help meet the basic needs of the Ministry of Education in facing the fasting month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah.