Add Rp55.21 Trillion Budget To Face The Extension Of Emergency PPKM, This Is The Targeted Sector

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government is said to have prepared an additional budget of Rp55.21 trillion to minimize the impact of the extension of the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) until July 26.

This assurance was conveyed directly by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in a virtual press conference on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

"The government has allocated an additional budget for social protection (perlinsos) of Rp55.21 trillion," he said.

So what sectors are targeted by state officials for the tens of trillions of funds?

Citing the Ministry of Finance's broadcast, the budget has actually been prepared for some time and is included in the 2021 PEN National Economic Recovery scheme.

"The government will increase the 2021 PEN budget, mainly for social and health programs by Rp55.21 trillion as of July 16," said Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency of the Ministry of Finance Febrio Kacaribu in an official statement.

In detail, the government will provide electricity discounts for 450VA and 900VA household customers which were initially only given until September, but will be extended until December 2021.

Similar to electricity discounts, the minimum subscription fee account assistance for businesses to 1.14 million customers will be extended until December.

Then, the internet quota subsidy which was originally only given in May will be extended until December 2021.

Then, the expansion of the social protection program, namely additional assistance for two months, namely July - August 2021 in the form of basic food cards to 18.8 million recipient families.

There is also cash assistance for the regions to 5.9 million KPM (beneficiary families) who are not recipients of registered basic food cards and cash assistance.

Furthermore, the expansion of the scope of the Pre-Employment Card program will be carried out by adding 2.8 million new participants.

As well as for MSMEs, the government has added support for productive micro-business assistance to new participants which is expected to be distributed in July - September 2021.