Government Changes Raskin Program To Rastra In Today's Memory, August 28, 2015

Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who once served as Minister of Social Affairs from the 2014-2018 era, has an example of raskin rice to be sold. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA Memories of today, nine years ago, August 28, 2015, Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Khofifah Indar Parawansa changed the name of the Poor Rice (Raskin) program to Prosperous Rice (Rastra). The name change was carried out so that the presence of subsidized rice sounded more positive.

Previously, cheap rice sales had become a government program from the beginning of the reform era. It's just a different name. Subsidized distribution to the purchase of rice was originally called Operations for Special Markets (OPK). It later turned into a raskin.

Poverty is something that must be solved by the government. The areas that become pockets of poverty must be helped. The goal is that local residents are not too burdened with the difficulties of life.

Thankfully they can rise and get out of the puddle of poverty. Subsidized distribution is also carried out. Cheap rice sales, one of which is. Cheap rice sales began to be taken seriously since the reform era.

The initiation came with the name of the OPK program from 1998-2001. OPK did not run smoothly. There are many problems here and there. This condition is because the OPK is considered an extension of the government which previously raised the price of fuel, telephone, and electricity.

The increase has made the people miserable. As a result, cheap rice sales did not really help. Everything is because the price of other goods has also increased. The same problem arose, the OPK lost to changing clothes to rank since 2002.

Misappropriation of raskin rations often occurs. Many of the field officers actually circumvent the number of raskin being sold. This condition burdens the poor so that the raskin is not right on target. The problem was added badly to the rations obtained in the pockets of limited poverty.

Not to mention that the government must be able to establish the notion of raskin being sold in low quality. This is because the image of raskin that is not of quality, such as brown, menir, rocky, floating, and coerci, is often found.

The absence of careful planning, minimal socialization, inaccurate data collection, corrupt officers, is all government matters. The program may change the name of the OPK first, now raskin, but what determines is the intention and dedication to help the poor.

"Without changing the mental attitude of officials who are usually served, not serving, the cheap rice program is feared to become an excess program. A program that is more disadvantaged than its benefits," said Agus S. Riyanto in his writing in Tempo magazine entitled Raskin or OPK, It's the Same (2003).

The criticism has actually been heard frequently from the jungle. However, the government never really wanted to improve the quality and strategy of distributing the raskin. Sometimes when there is no information, the raskin is held suddenly. Many people have the right to not get it.

The government also thought about changing the term raskin first compared to others. not another essential case. Social Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa chose to change the name Raskin to Raskin on August 28, 2015. The name change was made to bring in a positive aroma.

Raskin, who used to be known as rice for the poor, is now a rice with the hope that a family can prosper. The name change has long been discussed in various meetings with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture. Even though it does not answer the problems that often occur in the sale of subsidized rice.

"Today I want to convey the change of name from Raskin to Rastra, prosperous rice," said Khofifah after reviewing the distribution of the Family Hope Program assistance money at the Alor Post Office, NTT, Friday, as quoted by the COMPASS.com page, August 28, 2015.