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Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi, delivering a statement to the press in Kebayoran, Jakarta, on Friday (December 6, 2024). (ANTARA/Harianto)

VOI News, Jakarta: Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi, has said that the rice assistance program will be continued in 2025 as it has been approved by President Prabowo Subianto.

"At a limited meeting with the President, he approved it to be given again in January and February," he confirmed during the distribution of rice assistance to beneficiaries in Kebayoran, Jakarta, on Friday as reported by Antara News Agency (6/12).

According to him, in 2024, the rice assistance program targeted 22 million beneficiary families.

However, in 2025, the number of beneficiary families will be reduced to 16 million, though the amount of rice will remain the same, namely 10 kilograms for each beneficiary family.

The number of beneficiaries for 2025 has been revised due to several factors, including the decline in the percentage of the poor population.

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the number of poor in March 2024 stood at 25.22 million, reflecting a 0.68 million decrease compared to March 2023 and a decline of 1.14 million compared to September 2022.

In addition, to make the assistance program more accurate, decile 1 and decile 2 families that need the assistance the most will be the focus of the program.

Furthermore, there will be other programs that will have wide coverage in 2025, such as the Free Nutritious Meals program.

At the aid distribution event on Friday, he also conveyed his appreciation to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati for providing budget support despite the tight fiscal situation.

The Bapanas head expressed the hope that the rice assistance will ease the burden on the community, especially in meeting their basic needs.

Currently, the third phase distribution of rice assistance, namely for December 2024, is still on in several regions and is targeted to be completed before the end of the year.