The Government Will Run A Closed Subsidy For 3 Kg Elpiji Gas, But Still Waiting For President Jokowi's Decision

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources through the Director-General of Oil and Gas (Directorate General of Oil and Gas), Tutuka Ariadji said the government continues to push for plans to distribute 3 kilograms of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies to the public.

Tutuka said this distribution would use a closed subsidy but still had to wait for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi)'s decision. In addition, to run this scheme, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources also still has to wait for data from the Ministry of Social Affairs so that the subsidies provided can be right on target.

"Inevitably we still have to wait for the readiness of the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS). When the data is ready, we just have to wait for the President's direction," said Tutuka in a virtual press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday, January 19.

To test this subsidy distribution, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will also cooperate with Bappenas by utilizing biometric technology and QRIS and Pertamina through the My Pertamina application.

Previously, the government imposed an open distribution of subsidized 3 kg LPG cylinders, so that all groups of people could access these commodities, so that the implementation of LPG subsidies was at risk of not being targeted.

Based on the results of the discussion of the 2022 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) with the DPR, it was agreed that the government would transform the 3-kg LPG subsidy from commodity-based to individual-based in 2022.