Gov’t Disburses Cash Transfer Assistance to 49,095 Villages

INDUSTRY.co.id - In a bid to increase people’s purchasing power amidst COVID-19 pandemic, the Government through Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration has disbursed Cash Transfer Assistance (BLT) which is sourced from the Village Funds.

 As of 8 May 2021, the BLT has been distributed to 49,095 villages from the total of 74,961 villages targeted in the program. Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar expected the Cash Assistance to be used by the beneficiaries to meet their needs for Eid al-Fitr.

“Eid is only two days ahead, the Cash Assistance must be immediately used by the beneficiaries,” he said in Jakarta, on Tuesday (11/5).

He went on to say that the Ministry is taking measures to accelerate the disbursement of the Cash Assistance to help the beneficiaries meeting their needs and increase people’s purchasing power for Eid.

In addition, he added, the ban on mudik (annual exodus before Eid al-Fitr) has reduced economic activity in villages. For that reason, the Ministry will allocate the Village Funds for BLT program and Cash Labor-intensive program.

“Although BLT and Cash Labor-intensive programs cannot fully replace the flow of money in villages during mudik period, it can help the villagers to prepare for Eid,” he stated.

As of 8 May 2021, the realization of Village Funds has reached Rp18.86 trillion or about 26 percent of the total budget allocated for Village Funds amounting to Rp72 trillion.

The Funds has been disbursed to 52,372 villages from the total of 74,961 villages. In other words, 70 percent of all villages in Indonesia has received the assistance.

For the record, 18.4 percent of the Village Funds or equals to Rp3.46 trillion was allocated to assist villages dealing with COVID-19, while 12 percent of the Funds or equals to Rp2.27 trillion was allocated for BLT program.