BPNT Recipients In Cianjur Forced To Shop At E-Warong If Their Names Do Not Want To Be Crossed Out

Residents in Takokak Cianjur queue when taking BPNT/ Photo: Antara

JAKARTA – Supervision of the use of Non-Cash Direct Assistance (BLNT) in Cianjur will be tightened. The Social Service of Cianjur Regency, West Java, will remove BLNT recipients who do not spend the money they receive to buy nine basic necessities.

Quoted from Antara, Sunday, February 27, Head of the Cianjur Regency Social Service, Asep Suparman said, the distribution of Non-Cash Government Assistance (BPNT) this time has changed from being given monthly with purchases to e-warongs to quarterly with cash. given directly through the post office.

"Previously, the money went to the recipient's card, and was exchanged for basic necessities at the e-warong in their respective places of residence. This time, the distribution was immediately Rp600 thousand for three months and had to spend groceries wherever the recipient wanted it," said Asep.

There is no compulsion for the beneficiaries to spend the money, and there should not even be direction and coercion to buy in one place, including e-warong. It's just that the recipient is required to buy aid money to buy groceries, not pay debts or anything else.

"Beneficiary groups will be given sanctions up to deletion if they violate the provisions of not buying food commodities. They are not crossed out for not buying at an e-warong, they are free to shop for basic necessities anywhere, provided there is proof of purchase," he said.

Meanwhile, in a number of sub-districts, beneficiaries received threats that they would be removed from the list of recipients if they did not shop at the places that had been directed. Meanwhile, in the new rule, they are free to buy basic necessities, even if they don't go to the designated e-warong agents.

Based on the latest regulations, the distribution of BPNT is in the form of cash distributed through PT Pos, while recipients are no longer required to exchange their money to e-warong. According to Asep, they are allowed to spend the money they receive for food commodities that have been assigned to traditional markets and food stalls.

"We were threatened with being cut off as recipients if we didn't spend the money we received at the mentioned e-warong. The threats started from RT/RW officials and local village officials," said Iman, a resident of Takokak District.

The same thing was said by the head of the RT in Cianjur District, they were directed to buy basic necessities at the designated e-warong with the threat of being crossed out as recipients for the next BPNT distribution. So the recipient hopes to get the freedom to shop.

"We have told recipient residents to freely shop for basic necessities where they want, but the threat of having to shop at e-warong makes recipients nervous. We hope that the government will intervene in socializing this," said the head of the RT in Sayang Village, Cianjur, Idham.