Social Minister Risma Brings Good News: 24.7 Million Families Will Receive Basic Food Program In 2022
JAKARTA - Social Minister Tri Rismaharini said, as many as 24.7 families would receive the benefits of the Basic Food/Non-Cash Food Assistance Program (BPNT) in 2022, because there was an additional 5.9 million Beneficiary Families (KPM) proposed by the regions.
"Insha Allah, to the knowledge of the Minister of Finance, the total is that the BPNT is not only 18.8 million KPM, but there is an addition of 5.9 million KPM proposed by the regions," said Social Minister Risma in a working meeting with Commission VIII DPR RI, reported by Antara, Thursday, 26 August.
The Minister of Social Affairs in a meeting with the Agenda for Discussion of the Work Plan and Budget of State Ministries/Agencies (RKA-KL) for 2022 said that the additional budget ceiling proposed for the Basic Food Program/BPNT is for 5.9 million KPM for 12 months with an index of assistance of Rp. 200 thousand per month. with a total budget of Rp. 14.1 trillion.
Previously in 2021, the number of KPM for the Basic Food Program/BPNT was 18.8 million families with an aid value of Rp. 200,000 per month.
The Ministry of Social Affairs also proposed an additional budget for the Child Attention Program for orphans for 12 months amounting to more than Rp. 11.1 trillion.
The Ministry of Social Affairs obtained a budget ceiling of IDR 78.2 trillion for the 2022 fiscal year, which was down 26.79 percent compared to 2021 of IDR 106 trillion.
"If we compare the 2021 fiscal year with the 2022 budget ceiling, there is indeed a decrease of approximately 26.79 percent. Initially it was Rp. 106 trillion, then the budget ceiling in 2022 was Rp. 78.2 trillion," said Risma.
Furthermore, Risma explained, the details of the 2022 budget ceiling for each work unit, namely the Secretariat General of more than IDR 386 billion, the Inspectorate General of more than IDR 36 billion, the Directorate of Social Empowerment of IDR 413 billion more, the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation of more than IDR 1.09 trillion, the Directorate of Social Protection and Security. amounting to more than IDR 30.6 trillion, the Directorate for Handling the Poor IDR 45.4 trillion more and the Social Education Agency for more than IDR 305 billion.
Of the budget ceiling, Rp. 76.9 trillion is more for national priority programs and Rp. 1.2 trillion is more for national non-priority programs. In detail, for PKH, it is Rp. 28.7 trillion more with a target of 10 million KPM and Rp. 45.1 trillion more for the Basic Food Program. /Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) for 18.8 million KPM.
Members of Commission VIII who were present both in person and virtually at the meeting regretted the reduction in the 2022 budget ceiling.
"I saw a tremendous decrease in the budget last year with this year, but it should be posted later to improve the people's economy," said Muhammad Ali Ridho from the Golkar Party faction.
Likewise with MF Nurhuda Yusro from the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction who regretted the decline in the Ministry of Social's budget at a time when the government was targeting poverty reduction.
"We regret this decision. The Ministry of Social Affairs is a choir to reduce poverty," said Nurhuda.
However, all of them stated that they understood the proposed 2022 budget ceiling from the Ministry of Social Affairs and even supported an additional budget, especially for handling orphans.
In the working meeting led by the Chairman of Commission VIII of the DPR Yandri Susanto, they also asked the Ministry of Social Affairs to follow up the views and opinions of Commission VIII, among others, to support the transfer and deconcentration of social services within the provincial government in 2022 to support priority programs.
In addition, it also increases the 2022 program to be directed at social empowerment due to COVID-19 in order to accelerate the socio-economic independence of the community and the distribution of uninhabitable housing programs must be combined with other social empowerment programs.