Jakarta – The government is planning to disburse the second round of social aid this year after the Idul Fitri holiday, while also seeking to begin utilizing the newly launched Single National Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) system.
Coordinating Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar has assured that the social aid will be rolled out quarterly as planned.
"[We will disburse social aid] in parallel with Idul Fitri and after Idul Fitri, Insyaallah [God willing] the social aid can help people cope with the [economic] situation," Muhaimin said on Monday, as quoted by Bisnis.com.
The minister went on to say that social aid for the second quarter of this year is scheduled to be distributed from April to June, while emphasizing that it would be disbursed with the utilization of DTSEN, replacing the Integrated Data for Social Welfare (DTKS) system.
DTSEN was launched in February and was designed to integrate the three main data systems, including DTKS, the Social and Economic Registration (Regsosek) system and to eliminate extreme poverty, according to the Social Affairs Ministry.
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) was also involved to cross-check data consolidation with the Home Affairs Ministry's Population Administration Information System (SIAK) for data accuracy.
The new DTSEN system will be used as a reference for all ministries and other institutions in the government for disbursing social aid and implementing a precise empowerment program.
As of February, social aid disbursement channeled through DTKS had reached 94 percent of its target, amounted to Rp 23 trillion (US$1.38 billion).
Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara said that the expenditures on social assistance as of February reached Rp 25.9 trillion, or 19.2 percent of the target, noting that it was not affected by government austerity measures.
The figure marks an increase of Rp 1.4 trillion from the Rp 24.5 trillion reported in the January to February period last year.
The budget realization was distributed for several programs, with the largest allocation to the staple food cards (Kartu Sembako) program at Rp 10.3 trillion, in addition to the social affairs ministry's Family Hope Program (PKH), contribution assistance (PBI) for the National Health Insurance (JKN) and Indonesia Smart Card (KIP) programs.
"This [social aid] is not part of any efficiency [measure]. The disbursement, budget allocation and distribution are as scheduled," Suahasil said on March 13, as quoted by Antara.
The social affairs ministry has seen a budget cut of Rp 1.3 trillion, leaving Rp 78.26 trillion earmarked for this year following President Prabowo Subianto's austerity measures.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said in February that the austerity measure "would not disrupt public services", adding that there would be no deduction to the social assistance budget, the operational budget for the aid or the salaries and honorariums of employees.