Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has allocated Rp17 trillion (approximately US$1.1 billion) to continue its rice assistance program for 33.2 million low-income and vulnerable families throughout the fourth quarter of 2026.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated in Jakarta on Tuesday that the allocation covers a three-month distribution period following directives from President Prabowo Subianto.
The assistance program will run through October, November, and December 2026, targeting households categorized within deciles 1 through 4. Each recipient family is set to receive 10 kilograms of rice per month, totaling 30 kilograms for the quarter.
To streamline logistics, the government is adjusting its distribution model. Under a new proposal by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, state logistics agency Bulog will combine monthly allocations into single 30-kilogram packages per quarter.
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“The total quantity remains fixed at 30 kilograms per quarter. While it was previously distributed in 10-kilogram monthly packages, the proposal is to merge the distribution into a single 30-kilogram delivery,” Airlangga said, adding that Bulog will manage the technical execution.
The fourth-quarter rollout builds upon the second phase of rice assistance scheduled to conclude in September, which also utilized a consolidated lump-sum distribution model.
The funding commitment was finalized during a limited cabinet meeting chaired by President Prabowo at the Merdeka Palace on Monday (September 7), where ministers were instructed to prepare social safety net programs to support vulnerable communities and mitigate the potential impact of El Nino weather conditions.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur Zhafira, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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