Coordinating Minister Airlangga Emphasizes The Important Role Of The TNI As Supporting Government Policies

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JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, emphasized the important role of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) in supporting various government policies. This includes efforts to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, national economic recovery (PEN) to various other broader issues.

"In the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the TNI as a component of the nation is very much needed to support the Government's policies, both in the context of handling the pandemic and in other broader issues," said Airlangga, while attending virtually the Territorial Coordination Meeting ( Coordination Meeting) TNI 2022, Tuesday, March 15.

Entering 2022, according to Airlangga, it is believed that the national economic recovery will continue along with the increasingly sloping COVID-19 case. Therefore, the government does not hesitate to set a national economic growth target of 5.2 percent. This target can only be achieved with the role of various parties, including the TNI, in synergy as has been going well so far.

"The government together with the TNI and Polri have strengthened cooperation in various programs to handle COVID-19 and national economic recovery (PEN), such as the vaccination program and the distribution of Cash Assistance for Street Vendors and Stalls (BT-PKLW)," said Airlangga.

He explained, in 2021 the government had implemented the BT-PKLW program which was distributed through the TNI and Polri. Airlangga also appreciated that in its implementation in the field, the target for aid distribution could be achieved 100 percent in a relatively short time. "For this achievement, the BT-PKLW program is one of the best PEN programs that has the highest absorption in a short time," said Airlangga.

Armed with these facts, Airlangga continued, the government resumed the BT-PKLW program by expanding and adding to the target recipients. Now, apart from street vendors and warungs, fishermen are also the target beneficiaries of the assistance, so the name of the program has changed to the BT-PKLWN Program.

The program will target 212 districts and cities, which are included in the roadmap for the extreme poverty alleviation program, which is targeted to approach zero percent by 2024.

"The government has an interest so that this program can be right on target, so it gives the task of the TNI and Polri to collect data and distribute so that aid can reach people in need," said Airlangga.

To members of the TNI, especially those at the forefront of conducting data collection related to BT-PKLWN, Airlangga expressed his hope that they would continue to carry out the data collection process both transparently, carefully, and in accordance with applicable regulations.

The 2022 BT-PKLWN program itself was launched on March 14, 2022, in West Manggarai Regency, NTT, and is expected to be completed in the next four months at the latest.

"The government expresses its gratitude and highest appreciation to all ranks of the TNI and Babinsa who have carried out this program very well. With this program, it is hoped that the closeness of the TNI and the community will be stronger and support the role of the TNI as a state instrument in the defense sector. can run well, be useful, help the community's economy, and of course can prosper the community, "said Airlangga.