Ministry Of Social Affairs: Cooking Oil BLT Will Be Given Together With BPNT-PKH

Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) Harry Hikmat/ANTARA

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Social Affairs said it was ready to provide direct cash assistance (BLT) for cooking oil to the community along with BPNT (Non-Cash Food Assistance) and the Family Hope Program (PKH).

“The first basic needs in early April will be distributed immediately. Which April and May were pulled to April 21, BPNT staple food will be combined with BLT cooking oil including PKH as well. The rhythm is like that," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) Harry Hikmat as reported by Antara, Tuesday, April 5.

Harry said that the actual amount given in the BLT for cooking oil was Rp. 100,000. However, this amount will be given in a span of three months at once, namely in April, May and June, so that the amount of assistance provided is Rp. 300 thousand.

The assistance is planned to be given on April 4-21 2022 along with BPNT and PKH funds. Thus, the total amount of funds received by the beneficiaries reached Rp. 500 thousand.

Meanwhile, the total beneficiaries are 20.5 million residents. With details, as many as 18.8 million residents are recipients of basic necessities or BPNT and 1.85 million residents who are PKH recipients, but do not receive basic food assistance. The two groups were also included as recipients of BLT cooking oil.

“The compensation is actually food assistance. The President said that BLT cooking oil, but its use for food, does not mean that its use must be used as cooking oil. It depends on the needs of the people," he said.

The government, said Harry, will also provide cooking oil assistance to street vendors (PKL) such as fried food sellers. However, assistance for street vendors will be channeled through the TNI/Polri who have data related to traders. The presence of cooking oil BLT is a form of government concern as well as protection for people who are experiencing rising prices, as a result of being affected by world economic conditions and ahead of Eid. .

"That will be through the TNI/Polri. It's like a pandemic recovery time, they have their own data because it attracts street vendors and traders. Later through the KPA in the TNI/Polri," he said.