Vice President Ma’ruf Amin symbolically handed over social aid packages to Aceh residents at the Darussa’adah Rehabilitation Center for Special Needs Children in the province’s Aceh Besar district on Thursday.

The social aid packages comprised unconditional cash transfer (BLT) for cooking oil, family hope program (PKH) assistance, non-cash aid (BPNT), and social rehabilitation assistance (ATENSI).

The distribution of social aid packages was aimed at helping ease the economic burden on lower-income Indonesians in the midst of soaring food prices due to the global economic situation and climate change, Amin said.

“All countries, including Indonesia, have been affected. Therefore, the government is providing our people suffering the most from the situation with social aid protection,” he informed in a statement received here on Thursday.

Amin said he is well aware of the seasonal trend of rising prices of goods, particularly basic necessities, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations, which mark the end of Muslims’ fasting month of Ramadan.

The distribution of social aid packages for eligible recipients is a part of the government’s anticipatory measures to protect lower-income families and control food prices ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festivities, he added.

During his working visit to Aceh, the country’s westernmost province, the Vice President also distributed the Social Affairs Ministry’s social aid packages to residents of Banda Aceh city and Aceh Besar district.

During a Plenary Cabinet Session in Jakarta on April 6, 2022, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had asked his rank and file to distribute cooking oil BLT, worth Rp300 thousand, for three months.

The cash assistance of Rp300 thousand would be meaningful to the community, especially during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The money can be used by the community to buy cooking oil and other basic necessities, he said.

“Maybe we do not feel it, but this Rp300 thousand is useful for the people. It feels nice for them to be able to buy cooking oil and other basic ingredients,” Widodo added.

In addition, he said that labor-intensive programs should be continued to provide job opportunities for people.

Earlier, the President had announced the distribution of cooking oil BLT worth Rp100 thousand per month per beneficiary family (KPM). The BLT is meant for the months of April, May, and June 2022. However, the payment will be made all at once in April and will amount to Rp300 thousand.

Source: Antara News