The Kudus Regency Government's Death Budget Has Increased, This Year It Is IDR 2 Billion

Kudus Regent Hartopo handed over death compensation assistance to heirs at the Kudus Regency Hall, Central Java, Wednesday (15/2/2023). (ANTARA)

The Kudus Regency Government, Central Java, has allocated a budget for the death compensation program in 2023 of IDR 2 billion, as an effort by the government to ease the burden on the families left behind.

"Although the value of social assistance for funeral expenses is still far from expected, hopefully it can help the heirs to ease the cost of managing or the needs of the bodies," said Kudus Regent Hartopo as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 15.

The value of compensation given, he said, is IDR 1 million for each heir. Although the amount is not large, it is hoped that it will be useful and can be used wisely.

Regarding the disbursement, he said, there was a slight change taking into account the situation and condition of the heirs, the disbursement was carried out every month.

"Previously it could be disbursed one day, but many heirs took care of administration a week or two weeks after death. Therefore, the disbursement was changed to once a month," he said.

Head of the Social Service, Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning in Kudus Regency, Agustinus Agung Karmanto, added that the Rp2 billion budget was the same as the previous year's budget.

In fact, he said, the budget of that size was not fully absorbed, because there was still some left over. Therefore, this year it is budgeted in the same amount as considering the absorption of the previous year.

The absorption of the budget for death compensation in 2022 was recorded at Rp1.64 billion which was given to 1,644 people who were heirs.

Meanwhile, the distribution of compensation this year, he said, was recorded at Rp222 million for 222 heirs, which is a request for death compensation from December 21, 2022 to January 31, 2023.

Wahyu Murni, one of the beneficiaries, thanked her for being helped in the funeral expenses for her late mother-in-law who died recently.

The plan, he said, was that the compensation funds would be used to hold a tahlil event.