Gowa Social Service Affirms KPM BPNT No Compulsory Shopping At E-Warong

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GOWA - Head of the Gowa District Social Service, South Sulawesi Firdaus emphasized that each beneficiary family (KPM) of the Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) could spend the aid anywhere and it was not mandatory at the E-Warong agent.

"The distribution of BPNT to beneficiary families is carried out by PT POS Indonesia in cash based on existing technical guidelines (juknis)," he said in Gowa, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, March 8.

Firdaus said that the assistance received by each KPM was IDR 200,000 per month and the payments were made in three months, namely January, February and March 2022, bringing the total to IDR 600,000.

He said that in Gowa Regency there were as many as 225 Himbara or E-Warong agents in the program. Meanwhile, for the process of shopping for the food needs that are needed, KPM is not required to spend the money at certain agents or E-Warung.

"KPM can shop at E-Warong, traditional markets, other basic food stores throughout the basic food program, so that some of KPM's food needs are met. Such as carbohydrates, animal protein, vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals," he said.

He also reminded all assistants and agents not to force KPMs to shop at certain agents. He requested that these assistants provide education for shopping for basic necessities at all agents appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Gowa, Adnan Purichta Ichsan, who was aware of the polemic between KPM and the agent because it was suspected that KPM was forced to shop at an E-Warong agent, immediately responded by calling the head of the social service to resolve the problem.

"Let's clear this up first, okay. That BPNT program is a program from the Ministry of Social Affairs. So the local government is only involved as a program supervisor," he said.

Including, said Regent Adnan, the determination of agents or E-Warong is the full right of the program maker, in this case the Ministry of Social Affairs. Where the process of determining the agent is determined by the bank that is the distributor of assistance.

"The agent is determined by the bank, in this case BNI or in Himbara, so it has nothing to do with us. We only carry out supervision," he explained.

He has instructed, through the Head of the Gowa Regency Social Service, to provide understanding or education to the public in the mechanism for spending on aid funds, beneficiaries are not required to spend at certain agents.

"Now a hearing has also been held (RDP). I ask that it be explained that the agents are not ours to determine, including the assistants. The role of local governments is only to supervise," said Regent Adnan.