Govt to stop cash handouts to poor this year

Kudus, C Java, (ANTARA News) - The government has decided to stop its direct cash assistance for the poor (BLT) program this year and replace it with a National Program for People`s Empowerment (PNPM), Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said.

The minister made the remarks when he handed over assistance under the PNPM and Small-holder`s Business Credit (KUR) schemes to the people of Kudus district here on Saturday.

"The BLT for January and February 2009 will be provided all at once and after that the program will be terminated," the minister said.

He said that the BLT program was launched in an effort to help the poor overcome the impact of fuel oil prices last year but because fuel oil prices had been lowered, the BLT program was to be halted.

The BLT program was launched by the government in June last year when the fuel prices were raised due to the high rocketing of the world crude price reaching US$140 per barrel.

Around 19.1 million poor families throughout Indonesia were recorded to receive a cash assistance of Rp100,000 each plus cooking oil and sugar packages per month in compensation for the increased price of goods following the government`s decision to raise domestic fuel oil prices.

For its BLT program, the government earmarked Rp41.1 trillion for distribution to the poor beginning in June 2008.(*)

sumber: http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2009/2/7/govt-to-stop-cash-handouts-to-poor-this-year/