Badanas Says The Realization Of 10 Kilograms Of Rice Social Assistance Has Reached 641 Thousand Tons By The Beginning Of April 2024

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said that the realization of the distribution of 10 kg rice food social assistance had reached 641 thousand tons by early April 2024.

"As of April 3, 2024, the realization of the first period of rice food assistance, namely January to March 2024, nationally has touched the figure of 641 thousand tons," said Arief in a statement in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Friday, April 5.

Arief conveyed this after accompanying President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) while reviewing food stocks and handing over 10 kg rice food assistance to beneficiaries at the Manggis Bulog Warehouse Complex, Bungo Regency, Jambi Province.

Nationally, it has reached 641 thousand tons. For the Jambi area itself, the realization for the first three months (January-March) in 2024 has been fully distributed as much as 6.1 thousand tons," said Arief.

Arief said that the distribution of rice by the National Food Agency was in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food and Presidential Regulation 66 of 2021 concerning the National Food Agency, one of the functions of which was to maintain food availability and stability.

Arief continued that the rice assistance was intended for 22 million KPM throughout Indonesia based on data on the Targeting the Acceleration of the Elimination of Extreme Poverty (P3KE) of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK).

The 10 kg rice food aid has been implemented since early 2023 in two stages and continues this year which will run from January to March and can be extended from April to June, provided that the APBN is still possible.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the food aid program in the form of rice for the distribution period from July to December 2024, depended on the availability of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

The statement was made by President Jokowi during a dialogue with the beneficiary community on the sidelines of his visit to the Bulog Manggis Warehouse Complex, Bungo Regency, Jambi Province, Thursday.

"Later we will look again at the state budget, if the budget allows it to be continued until December. But no promises, yes because I will open the state budget first in June, if it is opened, the budget may be continued, but if it is not possible, it is not possible. I will say what it is, you know," Jokowi said in his statement through the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta.

President Jokowi also said that the provision of food assistance in the form of rice is a form of the government's commitment to the welfare of the people, so it is necessary to continue.

"This is the fourth, it will be continued to the following month until June," said the Head of State.