Minister Of Social Affairs Asks Local Governments To Provide Accurate Data On Cash Bansos Recipients

Illustration (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - Social Minister Juliari P. Batubara has asked the regional government, namely the Social Service for each province to provide accurate data on recipients of cash social assistance. This assistance is provided to residents other than the Jabodetabek area.

Juliari reasoned that until now the problem of collecting data on social assistance recipients has not been tidy. Referring to the data collection of basic food assistance assistance some time ago, there are still beneficiaries who are in the well-off group. Meanwhile, there are people who are vulnerable to poverty who do not receive assistance.

"We really hope that the regional (government), in this case the regency and municipal governments, provide us with accurate data. So, this cash assistance can be channeled appropriately," said Juliari after a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace, Friday, May 8.

Juliari admitted that the source of data collection for cash assistance recipients did not only come from the integrated social welfare data (DTKS) whose data was already held by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Therefore, the central government gives flexibility to local governments to tidy up data on cash assistance recipients.

"We provide flexibility to all districts and cities to provide data on families who are really affected in their area for us to provide cash assistance," he said.

In providing cash assistance, the government is targeting aid recipients as many as 9 million households. The amount is IDR 600 thousand per household per month and is given for three months.

"Who are these 9 million households? We get data or ask for data on these 9 million households from level 2 regions, namely the regency and municipal government," he said.

For the first stage, the government has only disbursed around IDR 471.2 billion through Bank Himbara accounts. This money has only reached 9 percent of cash assistance recipients.

Now, the ongoing cash assistance will be distributed through each PT Pos Indonesia regional office to 1.8 million households.

"There are 2 mechanisms, mostly through the post office. The names of the beneficiaries are given an invitation, when to come to the post office, have their identities checked, and get money," said Juliari.

While the cash assistance distribution is ongoing, the government still receives 7.8 million recipient households, so there are still around 1.2 million recipients whose data must still be searched.

"There are still regions that have not sent their data. We have informed this to immediately send the data, which amounts to around 1.2 million families, which we are still waiting for from the regions," he said.