The Ministry Of Villages Prioritize BLT For Women Heads Of Families, What Is The Purpose?

Illustration (Photo: Pekka)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration stated that female heads of household (Pekka) are considered more vulnerable because they tend to have difficulty getting assistance and access to empowerment.

Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Halim Iskandar said that this made the poverty that occurred in Pekka more structural.

"Therefore, in the BLT (direct cash assistance) program from the Village Fund, we provide a very high portion so that Pekka can get social assistance (bansos)," he said in Boyolali, Central Java, as broadcast through a virtual channel on Monday, July 4.

According to Gus Halim, Halim Iskandar's nickname, the portion of social assistance distribution for Pekka is never less than the portion of 30 percent of Beneficiary Families (KPM). In fact, he revealed that on average the proportion of PEKKA recipients of Village Fund BLT in 4 provinces exceeds 50 percent.

"Besides that, we also organize a Village Cash Intensive Work Program (PKTD) which also specifically has to empower female heads of families," he said.

Gus Halim added that in 2020 the number of Pekka who received the Village Fund BLT in 2020 was recorded at 2.41 million families.

This figure then declined in 2021 to 2.39 million families and shot to 2.84 million families in 2022.

“Uniquely, when the total recipients of BLT Dana Desa decreased, Pekka in absolute terms decreased and were fewer than male family heads. However, if the total number of BLT recipients increases, the absolute number of Pekka will also increase and there will be more male heads of household,” he explained.

Citing data reported by the Ministry of Villages, it is known that the number of Pekka recipients of Village Fund BLT above 50 percent are in the provinces of Banten, West Sumatra, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Java.

Meanwhile, for Pekka, above 30 percent were found in 32 out of 33 provinces in Indonesia.

For information, until July 4 at 08.38 WIB it was stated that the absorption of the 2022 Village Fund had touched Rp. 32.1 trillion from the Rp. 68 trillion budget ceiling. The realization grew by 20 percent compared to the same period the previous year with IDR 26.7 trillion.

"We are committed that the Village Fund BLT will continue to support female heads of household to escape poverty," concluded the Village Minister, Gus Halim.