The government will distribute this year Rp 13.5 trillion (US$1 billion) in non-cash assistance to 10 million of low-income households in 2018, compared to last year’s figure of Rp 1.6 trillion for 1.2 million low-income households.

The disbursement of the funds was aimed at reducing the poverty rate from 10.12 percent, last year to about 9 percent this year, said Darmin after attending a meeting with Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani.

According to the plan prepared by the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), the assistance distribution took place in January, February, March to June, July and August to December.

Puan said the evaluation would take place every month.

“The evaluation will include the validation of data and distribution process,” she added.

In the January distribution, she added, 100,000 households faced administrative problems. "We are verifying the data. We believe the recipients may have passed away, moved to other places or they no longer need assistance,” she added.

She said the assistance distribution involved the Home Ministry, the Social Affairs Ministry and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog). (srs/bbn)

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