Aiming For Lower Poverty, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hands Government Cash Aid To Labuan Bajo Fishermen

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto (Photo: Doc. Coordinating Ministry for the Economy)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto symbolically distributed cash assistance to fishermen in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara. This agenda is part of the 2022 Cash Assistance for Street Vendors and Stalls (BT-PKLW) program.

In his statement, Airlangga said that this real step was the government's effort to encourage the national economy to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, cash assistance can revive the economy of people at lower levels and maintain purchasing power, business continuity and people's livelihoods.

"Especially for fishermen, this is the first program in 2022 that aims to reduce extreme poverty in Indonesia," he said in an official statement on Monday, March 14.

Airlangga added that the assistance specifically targets 212 districts and cities that are included in the 0 percent Extreme Poverty Alleviation Program Roadmap in 2024.

Meanwhile, the amount of BT-PKLWN is IDR 600,000 per person for 2.76 million recipients, namely 1 million PKLW and 1.76 million fishermen.

For fishermen themselves, there are regulations as labor fishermen, fishing fishermen without boats, or fishermen who own ships less than 5 GT (Gross Tonnage). In the distribution process, the government assigned the TNI and Polri to help achieve this agenda.

Furthermore, Coordinating Minister Airlangga expressed his high appreciation to the Police, especially those who carried out distribution in the West Manggarai area. He said the National Police had a central role in maintaining public order in times of a pandemic.

"The government would like to thank the TNI and POLRI for collecting data and distributing assistance to the community," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga.

Also attending the ceremony were Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Leaders and Members of the Indonesian House of Representatives, and Head of the West Manggarai District Police AKBP Felli Hermanto.