Up 8 Percent, Jokowi Adds Rice Aid Recipients To 22 Million Families In 2024

Bulog Institutional Public Relations Manager Tomi Wijaya. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will increase the number of beneficiary families (KPM) for rice social assistance (bansos) from 21.4 million KPM, to 22 million KPM in 2024. This means that there is an additional 8 percent from this year.

Bulog Institutional Public Relations Manager Tomi Wijaya explained that the addition of the beneficiaries was due to data updating carried out by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK).

"The number of KPM is 21.4 KPM. This continues to be updated by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, it will add 8 percent in 2024, so 22 million KPM," said Tomi in a media briefing at the Perum Bulog head office, Jakarta, Friday, December 15.

Tomi explained that the increase in the number of KPM was the basis for distributing rice social assistance in 2024 which will be carried out by Bulog from January to March.

For your information, just like this year, each KPM will receive assistance in the form of 10 kilograms (kg) of rice from Bulog.

"So the allocation from January to March will use the latest data of 22 million KPM. Through these two instruments (with market operations), the government intervenes in the market so that rice prices can be relatively good in the midst of global phenomena," he said.

In addition, continued Tomi, Jokowi also asked for the distribution of this rice social assistance to be increased. This means that it will be carried out until June 2024. However, the government will ensure the adequacy of the APBN for the distribution.

"He will check again with the existing APBN with plans to add this program until June 2024. If the APBN is sufficient, it can be realized for approximately the next 6 months, the public will get 10 kg per KPM," he said.

As is known, the government has assigned Perum Bulog to prepare 3.8 million tons of government rice reserves (CBP) for 2024.

This reserve is also to fulfill the rice social assistance program which will continue.

Tomi said that to fulfill it, Bulog will prioritize domestic rice absorption. Moreover, the main harvest is predicted to occur from the end of March to April 2024.

"Because March has entered the main harvest, Bulog prioritizes absorbing domestic production," he explained.