Social Affairs Minister to Complete Social Aid Distribution in May
Jakarta. Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa has set a target to complete the non-cash social aid distribution of the Family Hope Program, or PKH, next month.
Khofifah chose Sleman district in Yogyakarta as the first location for this year's distribution.
She distributed the social aid to 437 families, which is a small number compared to the more than 50,000 families throughout the archipelago that qualify for state assistance.
"Of the more than six million PKH recipients in 2017, at least 3,042,000 have received the non-cash aid, including those here [in Sleman] – at 50,390 people," Khofifah said on Sunday (23/04).
"Hopefully next week, the whole six million people will receive the non-cash aid through PKH cards, which actually include features such as a savings account and an e-wallet," she added.
Families receive Rp 500,000 ($38) each, distributed through the electronic wallet system, which can be used as a direct savings account to allow the ministry to acquire the families' data.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo launched the cashless aid programs, including the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP), Indonesia Health Card (KIS) and Family Hope Program (PKH), to provide social assistance to those living in poverty.
The government distributes the cards to eligible recipients across the archipelago. However, they are not allowed to exchange the benefits for cash.
The programs have received praise from the likes of Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who heads the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Watch Indonesia Highlights at 8 p.m. tonight on the Jakarta Globe News Channel and Facebook Live to find out more about the Family Hope Program.
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