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Distribution of free rice cookers fails to meet expectations
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has apologized for the slow implementation of the free rice cooker program, which lags far behind target in terms of budget expenditure and distribution.
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Visitors look at electric rice cookers at a shop in Bintaro, South Tangerang, Banten, in October 2023. (Antara/Muhammad Iqbal)
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he Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has apologized for the slow implementation of the free rice cooker program, which lags far behind target in terms of budget expenditure and distribution.
Last year, the government announced a plan to distribute 500,000 rice cookers in an effort to reduce the country’s dependence on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and accelerate the energy transition. Only 342,621 have been distributed so far, or 68.5 percent of the targeted figure, Tempo reported.
Indonesia is heavily reliant on LPG, with Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data showing that about 82 percent of the country's households used LPG for cooking in 2021, while firewood and kerosene were used by 11 and 2 percent of households, respectively. Only 0.7 percent used electric stoves.
Read also: Govt to distribute 500,000 free rice cookers to cut LPG imports
“We would like to extend our apology if the implementation of the program has failed to meet expectations. This is the first project of its kind for the [energy ministry]. Thus, it requires extended preparations,” the ministry's Electricity Director General Jisman P. Hutajulu said on Monday.
He added that the task of PT Pos Indonesia to distribute the rice cookers down to the village level across 325 regencies and cities in all 36 provinces of the country was limited by time.
The deadline for determining eligible recipients of the rice cookers was Dec. 18, 2023, Kumparan reported, with distribution meant to be completed by Feb. 13, 2024.
