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Govt pilots non-cash social assistance distribution in Jakarta
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Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa (center) discusses with Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman (left) and State Logistics Agency (Bulog) president director Djarot Kusumayakti (right) during a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on July 19. (Antara Foto/Yudhi Mahatma)
T
he government launched on Thursday a pilot project in Jakarta to distribute social assistance via electronic banking facilities at four state-owned banks. In this project, the government will no longer use cash transactions in distributing the benefits of the Prosperous Family Card (KKS) to its holders.
The Social Affairs Ministry launched the e-delivery pilot project in Kampung Rawa, Johar Baru, Central Jakarta.
Jakarta is the seventh city to try out this pilot project. Earlier, the ministry launched similar pilot projects in three cities in East Java, namely Malang, Sidoarjo, and Mojokerto, Makassar in South Sulawesi, Padang in West Sumatra and Surakarta in Central Java.
On Thursday, the government also launched e-Warong, an official grocery store designed to serve social assistance beneficiaries. All commodities offered by the shop will be supplied by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus Martowodojo said the non-cash social assistance delivery was in line with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's instruction, in which he wanted benefits for all social assistance card programs to be distributed in non-cash form so they could be directly received by the beneficiaries.
"All local administrations should also implement the non-cash distribution system," he said.
Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the ministry would expand the pilot project to several others cities, including Boyolali and Semarang in Central Java and Palembang in South Sumatra.
"The response to this pilot project has been incredible. Many regents and mayors have requested that this pilot project be implemented in their regions," she said. (ebf)
