BLT El Nino Will Be Extended Until The Second Quarter Of 2024

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso said the government would extend El Nino's direct cash assistance (BLT) until the second quarter of 2024.

He revealed that the proposal regarding the extension of the BLT program had been submitted by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and had been approved by President Joko Widodo at the Plenary Cabinet Session which was held on Tuesday, January 9.

"Yesterday it was decided that we just had to process it, maybe the name will change," said Sesmenko Susiwijono as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 10.

Regarding the technicality of the BLT program, Sesmenko Susiwijono said that it would be discussed at the Technical Coordination Meeting (Rakortek) which will be held this week.

"We will discuss the technicalities yesterday (BLT El Nino) only for November-December. Now in terms of this need to maintain purchasing power, encourage all economic growth. We need the first and second quarters for that. But technically what kind, we hold a coordination meeting for weeks," he said.

On Saturday, January 6, Coordinating Minister Airlangga distributed BLT El Nino in the form of 10 kg of rice to 2,200 Beneficiary Families (KPM) in Pabuaran Village, Cibinong District, Bogor Regency, West Java.

Airlangga said the purpose of distributing the BLT was to maintain purchasing power in the community amid the impact of the El Nino phenomenon.

During November-December 2023, the government prepared a rice aid program and BLT El Nino to all regions in Indonesia with a total budget of IDR 7.52 trillion.

The program targets 18.8 million Beneficiary Families (KPM) who each receive assistance of IDR 400 thousand per two months.