Don't Dare To Apply For El Nino's Social Assistance Budget, Social Minister Risma: Don't Know The State Financial Conditions

MK/DOK PHOTO Building: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismahari admitted that he did not dare to propose a budget for El Nino's Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) for the 2024 period. The reason is because of ignorance of the state's financial condition. It started when the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) Suhartoyo questioned El Nino's mechanism for budgeting social assistance (bansos). "When it comes to the current year's budget, the following year, for Elnino, the Ministry of Social Affairs, is it indeed a separate policy or should it also be proposed from the relevant ministries?" Suhartoyo asked during the trial, Friday, April 5. "We don't dare to propose Mr. Your Majesty," replied Risma. "Including the previous year?" Suhartoyo said. Risma also agreed. He said it was because he did not know the state's financial condition, so he chose not to apply. "Yes, we don't dare to propose because we don't know whether the financial condition can or not. We are brave, usually held meetings, then it is agreed what it is. Because we don't dare, because we don't know the macro condition of the problem," he said. Hearing this statement, Suhartoyo reiterated the question regarding the submission of the BLT budget for El Nino. Risma immediately agreed. "Yes, that means you didn't propose, did you?" Suhartoyo said. "Yes, there is no proposal," said Risma. Previously, Risma said the ministry's budget was IDR 79.2 trillion. The reason is because El Nino's direct cash assistance (BLT) is not included in the 2024 budget.

It is known that the Ministry of Social Affairs received a budget of IDR 87.2 trillion in 2023. "Compared to the 2024 and 2024 budgets, our budget has decreased from Rp. 87,275,374,140,000, down to Rp.79,214,083,464,000. This is because the purchase of blit el nino came out of aid in 2024," said Risma.