The Budget For The COVID-19 Vaccine And DKI Cash Social Assistance Is IDR 3.2 Trillion

Chairman of the DKI DPRD, Prasetio Edi Marsudi (Photo: Diah / VOI)

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) approved a budget of IDR 3.2 trillion specifically for COVID-19 vaccination and cash social assistance (bansos) in 2021 which was proposed by the DKI Provincial Government.

Jakarta DPRD Chairman Prasetio Edi Marsudi said that this decision was taken after his party held a joint leadership meeting with the Regional Government Budget Team (TAPD).

"The budget of IDR 3.2 trillion from unexpected expenditure (BTT) in the 2021 APBD has been approved by the DKI DPRD to be allocated for handling the COVID-19 pandemic," said Prasetio in his statement quoted on Monday, January 4.

In detail, the BTT budget of Rp 1.65 trillion was allocated for the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination which will be held by the Health Office.

Meanwhile, a budget of IDR 1.55 trillion will be used for the implementation of direct cash assistance to residents affected by the pandemic which will be implemented by the Social Service.

Continuing, Head of DKI Jakarta Regional Financial Management Agency (BPKD) Edi Sumantri explained that the allocation of funds referred to Presidential Regulation Number 99 of 2020 concerning the Procurement and Implementation of Vaccinations in the Context of Accelerating the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Then, this stipulation also refers to the Minister of Home Affairs Circular Number 910/6650 / SJ received on December 8, 2020.

"This must be budgeted for in the regional apparatus that carries out health affairs, namely the DKI Health Office. In addition, BTT funds will also be allocated to the DKI Jakarta Social Service to run a cash social assistance program as an effort to help the economy of the people of the capital city," said Edi.

For information, there are two main steps taken by the government this year, apart from handling the COVID-19 pandemic. These two things are vaccinations and provision of social safety nets.

Currently, the government has pocketed three million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia. The plan is that there will be 400 million vaccines that RI will have to inject into the public.

Vaccination for COVID-19 in Indonesia takes about 15 months, starting from January 2021 to March 2022. The implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination for 15 months will last for two periods, namely the first period from January to April 2021 and will prioritize 1.3 million health workers and 17.4 million public officials in 34 provinces.

Then the second period, which runs from April 2021 to March 2022, will reach the number of people from the rest of the first period.

With regard to social safety nets, the government no longer provides assistance with basic food schemes. Social assistance for residents affected by the pandemic will be changed to a cash social assistance (BST) scheme.

Especially in DKI, the amount of BST to affected residents will be given a value of Rp. 300 thousand. BST is given monthly for the next six months, starting in January 2021. This cash social assistance will be deposited through Bank DKI and PT Pos.