Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati explained that the realization of the social protection budget reached Rp. 49.0 trillion as of February 28, 2022, or grew 24.1 percent compared to the realization of the same period the previous year.
According to her, the growth in the realization of the social protection budget was supported by the realization of energy subsidy spending in the form of fuel oil (BBM), LPG, and electricity which reached Rp21.7 trillion.
“Now because of the surge in energy prices, the social assistance has turned into subsidies in the form of goods, namely fuel, LPG, and electricity which have already cost Rp. 21.7 trillion,” said the Minister of Finance at the KiTa State Budget Press Conference which was monitored in Jakarta, Monday.
According to the Minister of Finance, the distribution of the social protection budget in the form of energy commodity subsidies will have very big implications for the National Budget (APBN) later.
“In 2020, social protection will increase and we will keep it high in 2021, it’s because of the threat of COVID-19 which causes people to be unable to work, in this case we then provide spending. Now social assistance spending will be dominated by subsidies,” she added.
The realization of social protection spending until February 28, 2022, which reached IDR 49.0 trillion, equivalent to 11.3 percent of the APBN target.
In addition to energy subsidies, the social protection funds have been distributed through the Family Hope Program (PKH) to 7.3 million Beneficiary Families (KPM) and through the distribution of basic necessities to 16.6 million KPM.
In early March, as many as 10 million KPM had received PKH funds and 18.8 million KPM had received basic necessities from the government.
“So during the first quarter, for social assistance which has been the foundation, we have made payments,” she said. The government has also paid 82.9 million premiums for the National Health Insurance (JKN) Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI) in February 2022.
“We also provide 6.9 million students at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology and the Ministry of Religion, assistance for the Smart Indonesia Program directly to these students,” she said. (ojn/bbs)
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