VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini spoke of the government having formulated a new-fangled mechanism for distributing basic food aid in 2021 that can prevent fraud.

"We will distribute basic necessities. In February, we will update a mechanism for distributing basic food aid that is easier," Rismaharini stated during a virtual press conference after a limited meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The minister conveyed that a more comprehensive basic food aid distribution mechanism will be readied. Later, in the distribution of basic food aid, the government will not only offer assistance but will also receive reports on the aid recipients.

"Hence, we are optimistic that no one else would attempt to cut or misuse. This is because these reports will enter us in the process of receiving aid," Risma revealed.

In 2021, the government will redistribute social assistance to the community as was the case all through 2020.

The distribution of social assistance during 2020 has averaged above 90 percent.

The Social Affairs Ministry had earlier launched the Social Entrepreneurship Program (Prokus) targeting graduated beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program (PKH) to assist them in keeping their businesses afloat.

"Prokus is aimed at empowering people through business approaches," the ministry's Director General of Social Empowerment, Edi Suharto, noted in a statement here on Sunday.

The first strategy is the B-for-S business approach to address the social risk, while the second is the B plus S approach, a business and social integration strategy for the people’s empowerment.

The program is expected to lower poverty and unemployment.

Prokus has three components known as the Triple Power, comprising social assistance in incentive for working capital (BSiMU), Business Mentoring Incubation (IMB), and social mentoring.

For implementation of the program, the ministry has involved Oorange Unpad (Padjajaran University), State Polytechnic of Semarang (Polines) ZFN Agape Indonesia (Titipku), Bina Swadaya, and mentors from social affairs office in sub-districts.

"The entrepreneurship program is part of the government's intervention to help graduated PKH beneficiaries to survive in this pandemic," Suharto stated, adding that this is an anchor of the ministry's social empowerment program.

In 2020, Prokus fund of Rp3.5 million each was distributed to one thousand graduated PKH beneficiaries in the five regions of Majalengka District, West Bandung District, Jakarta, Semarang District, and Bantul District. (antaranews)