Government Distributes 210 Tons of Rice in First Phase of Social Assistance Today

The government disbursed the first phase of rice-based social assistance (bansos) totaling 210 tons today, Friday (31/3/2023).

Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi stated that the regulatory process for the distribution of rice bansos has been completed and can now be distributed to the public.

The target recipients are 21,353 beneficiary families (KPM). They are KPM classified as poor and registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Bulog will execute the distribution.

Arief said this food assistance in the form of rice is a follow-up to President Joko Widodo's directive to maintain food stability and suppress inflation spikes.

The assistance is distributed in stages. Stage I at the end of March 2023, Stage II is estimated for April 2023, and Stage III is estimated for May 2023.

Arief mentioned that to meet the needs of this rice assistance distribution, a total of approximately 630,000 tons of rice is needed. In the first month or phase, 210,000 tons will be disbursed by Bulog to the recipients.

"So, we hope this can reduce the expenditure burden of the recipient community," Arief said in a written statement to Databoks, Friday (31/3/2023).

This rice assistance is part of the implementation of the Government Rice Reserve (CBP) distribution based on Presidential Regulation 125 of 2022 concerning the Implementation of the Government Food Reserve (CPP) and followed up by the Agency Regulation Number 12 of 2022 concerning the Government Rice Reserve.

In the implementation of the CPP, the government can distribute the CBP for anticipation, mitigation, and implementation of government-determined needs, including price stabilization, addressing food problems, overcoming food crises, and providing food assistance.