Cash Assistance is the Initial Solution for Flood Victims in Sumatra

Illustration of cash assistance (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Flood victims in Aceh and several areas in Sumatra still need government assistance. Therefore, cash assistance can be one solution.

Economist and executive director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia Mohammad Faisal assessed that government cash assistance is a crucial instrument in the emergency response phase for handling flood victims in Aceh and a number of areas in Sumatra.

Faisal said that cash assistance is very needed to help people meet basic needs in the midst of limited economic activity and the lack of post-disaster employment opportunities.

"Disasters of this magnitude cannot be recovered in a short time. Therefore, cash assistance and social assistance in the form of goods must be a priority," said Faisal as quoted by Antara.

According to him, the provision of cash assistance of Rp. 5 million per family is indeed not enough to recover the economic condition in a comprehensive manner. However, this assistance still has an important role as an initial support in emergency situations.

He explained that cash assistance can help increase people's purchasing power to meet basic needs, such as food and household needs, especially when access to jobs is still very limited.

Faisal also emphasized the importance of distributing assistance that is targeted and equitable to all affected communities.

"No less important, this assistance must be truly targeted and reach the affected community, even though the identification process is not always easy," he said.

In addition to cash assistance, Faisal assessed that the government needed to distribute adequate amounts of goods, both through fundraising from the region and direct distribution by the central government.

He added that after the emergency response phase ended, the focus of policy should be directed at medium and long-term recovery, especially through the improvement of facilities and infrastructure, infrastructure development, and the creation of employment for affected people.

According to Faisal, job creation can be done both in disaster-affected areas, in other areas, and through placement as migrant workers, so that disaster victims can have a sustainable source of income.

Thus, the community is not only dependent on social assistance, but has a more stable income to support the economic recovery process in the long term.