he Jakarta administration is set to include milk and mackerel in its food subsidy program next year following a significant increase in the budget for the subsidy, which is now Rp 885.5 billion (US$ 65 million) up from Rp 190 billion in 2017.
The subsidized food will be provided to low-income residents, including holders of the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP), residents of low cost apartments, laborers earning the provincial minimum wage (UMP), the elderly and disabled people.
Besides mackerel and milk, those residents can also buy beef, chicken, eggs and rice at a low price.
“We have decided to provide milk, not powdered milk, and mackerel,” the head of the Jakarta Maritime, Fisheries and Food Security Agency (DKPKP), Darjamuni Taseda said on Monday according to kompas.com.
The agency decided to provide mackerel because the fish are available in all seasons throughout the year, he said.
Subsidized mackerel is set to be available in January next year.
Meanwhile, the agency will provide 200 milliliters of packaged milk.
Every week, KJP holders will be allowed to buy three milk packages.
The subsidized milk will be available in February next year.
“We still need to prepare the packages and wait for the certification of the milk,” Darjamuni said.
The milk subsidy program was once dubbed the "white revolution” by Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Soebianto during his 2014 presidential campaign. (cal)
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