Aceh Social Service: No More Social Assistance For COVID-19 In 2022

BANDA ACEH - The Aceh Social Service (Dinsos) stated that there will be no more social assistance programs (bansos) for people in their areas affected by COVID-19 in 2022, both programs from the central government and local governments.

The head of the Aceh Social Service, Yusrizal, said that the last distribution of social assistance for residents affected by COVID-19 was in 2021, namely Cash Social Assistance (BST) from the central government and the Social Safety Network (JPS) from the Aceh Government.

"In 2022, there is no official information on the sustainability of social assistance affected by COVID-19 from the center. Then for Aceh, the last JPS was given in 2021," said Yusrizal in Banda Aceh, reported by Antara, March 10.

Nevertheless, the central government still provides regular social assistance to the community through two programs, namely the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT).

The COVID-19 pandemic has entered its third year. According to Yusrizal, since this virus outbreak, the Aceh Government has directly distributed social assistance to Beneficiary Families (KPM) in the form of rice in 2020.

Then in 2021, through the JPS program, the social assistance provided by the government in the form of cash in the amount of IDR 300 thousand per KPM spread across all regencies/cities in the area called Tanah Rencong.

"For 2022, there is no budget (social assistance)," said Yusrizal.

According to him, the Aceh government has several considerations to no longer allocate the social assistance budget in 2022. Starting from the condition of cases of COVID-19 infection that has improved as well as the socio-economic movement of the community that is improving has also grown compared to the last two years.

"In real terms, life in Aceh is approaching normal, it is getting better, even though there is a dynamic COVID-19 condition, according to its level," said Yusrizal.

Previously, Yusrizal said, the Aceh Government distributed JPS in 2021 to 33,323 KPM throughout Aceh, especially for those affected by COVID-19 but had not received any social assistance.